Two men accused of murdering an elderly hiker in the Western Cape have been given hefty prison sentences by the Circuit High Court in Swellendam.
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The accused, 20-year-old John Lee Bron and his 26-year-old accomplice, Jacobus Simon Skondo, were arrested shortly after the body of Erna Gericke (66) was found along a hiking trail on 21 March 2021.
Provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Christopher Spies said that Gericke had gone for a walk on a hiking trail at about 2pm the previous day.
She had left her Citroen sedan in the parking area near Rondomskrik.
‘Her husband later reported her as missing when she didn’t return from her routine walk,’ explained Spies.
‘Authorities immediately commenced with a full-scale search comprising various police units and community members.’
‘Members of the search party found a badly injured body of the woman about 5km to 6km into the Waterfall Hiking Trail during the early hours of Monday, 21 March, 2021.’
‘Meanwhile, detectives assigned to the investigation acted on information about the deceased’s vehicle which was also missing.’
‘The members, assisted by farm watch volunteers, found the abandoned vehicle of the deceased behind a hill near Tradouwhoek with its right front window scattered,’ Spies said, adding the two suspects, who were 18 and 24 years old respectively at the time, were arrested shortly after one another.
‘The spare keys of the Citroen C1 were found in the possession of one of the suspects which linked them to the theft of the motor vehicle. Further investigation also led to the recovery of a firearm and ammunition stolen during a burglary.’
Subsequently, the two were remanded into custody prior to their conviction on charges brought against them.
Bron was sentenced to 38 years imprisonment, which includes three years for housebreaking and theft, three for theft of a motor vehicle, 10 years for the possession of an unlicensed firearm, two years for the possession of unlicensed ammunition, and 20 years imprisonment for murder.
Skondo was sentenced to three years imprisonment for theft of a motor vehicle, 18 years imprisonment for rape, and 20 years imprisonment for murder. A total of 41 years.
Western Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile welcomed the sentences and commended the investigating officers for their commitment which led to the arrest and subsequent conviction of Bron and Skondo.
‘We are pleased with the harsh sentences imposed in this matter. We hope that it would serve as a deterrent for potential criminals from committing similar offences,’ Patekile said.
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Picture: Unsplash