FREE STATE – A 72 hours joint lockdown by the SAPS and the Hawks in the Free State, initiated by the Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Moeketsi Sempe following the gruesome murder of Isak Johannes Jacobus (Sakkie) van den Berg (67) and his wife Ina Ockenlina (61) in Bloubos farm in Boshof district, resulted in the arrest of five suspects in Bloemfontein and Dealesville respectively.
On 2019-07-12, at about 17:30, Mr van den Berg left to take a worker back to town, leaving his wife at home. On the way back to the farm, he stopped to open his farm gate when he was allegedly overpowered by six suspects. He was then taken back to his house where together with his wife were tied up, brutally beaten and shot. Both died at the scene.
The suspects ransacked the house and stole several items, including four (4) firearms, and the deceased`s vehicle, which was later recovered embedded in the mud in the Caledon River bed en route to Lesotho.
During the arrest, two firearms were recovered which will be taken for forensic tests to determine their ownership and check if they haven’t been used in the commission of other crimes.
The suspects aged between 30 and 40 will appear in the Boshof Districts Court on Thursday the 18 July 2019 on the charges of murder, possession of unlicensed firearms, aggravated robbery, theft of motor vehicle and theft.