WATCH: Alberton murder-accused couple: Witness says he was asked to dispose of body
A defence witness told the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court he received a voice note asking for help to get rid of Susan Gillian Murray's body as his cross-examination continued.
A defence witness in the murder trial of an Alberton couple told the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court he was asked to help dispose of a body.
The case against murder-accused couple Werner Jack Schoeman and Delichia Bekker returned to court on September 2.
The pair is accused of involvement in the murder of Susan Gillian Murray, who lived in Verwoerdpark, Alberton, at the time of her death. Murray’s body was found dumped in Alberton North in November 2023.
Schoeman and Bekker face charges including murder, fraud, and theft. Bekker, Murray’s daughter, is accused of involvement in her mother’s death and was arrested days before Schoeman, who was caught hiding in South Hills.
On day two of his cross-examination, defence witness Cheslin John told the court that he was asked for help in getting rid of the deceased’s body.
John is an inmate at Boksburg Prison, where Schoeman is also held, on an unrelated case.
The prosecutor was going through a statement written by John to an investigating officer in the case.
“I was sent a voice note by Werner on Anna’s (witness’ girlfriend) phone,” the prosecutor read, before John interjected: “No, it was Anthony who sent me a voice note. And I told the investigating officer Brandt (the now deceased investigating officer) that it was Anthony who sent me the voice note.”
Magistrate Isabella Mlaba declared the statement admissible, meaning it can be used against the accused.
It implicates Schoeman in the removal of the deceased’s corpse and the selling of her vehicles by the accused.
Asked what was said in the voice note, John said: “He (Anthony) told me to help him get rid of a body. I did not understand what it meant and did not entertain it.”
The man named Anthony is understood to have been in a relationship with Bekker shortly before she got into a relationship with Schoeman. Anthony disappeared in 2023, and his family is still searching for him.
John’s cross-examination is set to continue on September 9. Schoeman and Bekker remain in custody.
WATCH: Alberton murder-accused couple: State confronts inmate over conflicting statements
