An Alberton couple, Werner Jack Schoeman and Delichia Bekker, have been convicted of premeditated murder and theft following their appearance in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court yesterday (October 23), reports the Alberton Record.

After almost three years of court proceedings, the pair were found guilty of murdering Bekker’s mother and stealing three vehicles from her property.

In November 2023, the severely decomposed body of 75-year-old Susan Gillian Murray was found dumped in a veld near Radio Road in Alberton North. She lived in Oribi Street, Verwoerdpark, at the time of her death.

Although her death certificate recorded November 3, 2023, as the date of death, evidence presented in court indicated that she had died much earlier, based on the state of decomposition.

A police investigation linked Bekker to her mother’s death, leading to her arrest. Days later, police arrested Schoeman, who was found hiding in South Hills.

The investigation also linked the pair to the theft of three vehicles from Murray’s property. Police recovered all three around the time of the arrests.

Guilty of all charges

Presiding magistrate Isabella Mlaba found that the state had proved its case against both accused beyond reasonable doubt.

“This court finds that the state has proved its case against both accused beyond reasonable doubt. Both accused one and two are found guilty of murder, read with the provisions of section 51 subsection one of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 105 of 1997, as referred to in part one of schedule two, premeditated murder,” Mlaba said.

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She also found them guilty of theft of three motor vehicles, ruling that their actions fell under the doctrine of common purpose.

The doctrine holds individuals jointly liable for a crime when they act together in a common unlawful enterprise.

The pair remain in custody and have not yet been sentenced. The matter has been adjourned until October 30 for the pre-sentence and victim impact reports.

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