An 80-year-old Free State doctor and his teenage grandson have been charged after a young man’s body was discovered buried on their farm.
An elderly doctor from the Free State and his teenage grandson are facing murder charges after the body of a young man was found buried on their farm.
The 80-year-old medical doctor and his 17-year-old grandson, who cannot be named due to the grandson being a minor, appeared before the Kroonstad Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
The accused face several charges, including murder, attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, reckless endangerment, and contraventions of the Firearms Control Act.
Doctor and grandson charged with murder
Troskie and his grandson were arrested by the Bloemfontein South African Police Service (Saps) task team on Tuesday.
The police confirmed that the body of a young man was discovered on 20 August 2025 following a tip-off from community members.
The tip-off led the team to a farm located along the road between Kroonstad and Welkom, where the remains were recovered.
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“It is alleged that the deceased was buried on the farm. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, DNA samples were taken for analysis to confirm the identity of the deceased,” the Saps said on Thursday.
A docket was opened on charges of murder and defeating the ends of justice.
The police confirmed an 80-year-old man was arrested and was expected to appear in court soon. The Saps added that there was a possibility of an additional arrest.
Grandson released into guardian’s care
National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said, in line with the Child Justice Act, the grandson was released into the care of his guardian after his first court appearance.
Senokoatsane said the matter had been remanded to Thursday for a formal bail application in terms of section 50(6) of the Criminal Procedure Act.
“The NPA in the Free State reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that those accused of serious crimes are brought before court, while upholding the principles of justice and the rights of all parties involved,” he said.
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