BETHAL – Residents were still reeling from shock and disbelief about the double murder of a beloved Bethal couple, when another shockwave ripped through this small town – a local jeweller is the main suspect.
A BOLO (be on the lookout) notification was sent out on all local emergency groups late on Saturday afternoon for Mr Francois Pretorius, a local goldsmith and owner of FP Jewellers in Bethal and Middelburg.
Const Thomas Mogadime, spokesman for the Bethal Police, said an official warrant for arrest was issued on 23 March.
This comes after the bodies of Dr Hannes (70) and Ms Ibel (69) Beukes were found in the trunk of their car that was hidden in tall grass in the veld at the corner of Kieser and Du Plooy Street late on Wednesday afternoon, 18 March.
A young motorbike rider spotted the abandoned car and alerted the Bethal CPF.
Watch the video here:
The police spent most of the night working the scene. According to a source close to the investigation, the couple’s cell phones were not stolen, and Ms Beukes’ handbag was still inside the car. The coupled appeared to have been badly beaten. The police were however not available on Monday to confirm this. Const Mogadime also said he was unable to get information on the post mortem results.
The provincial spokesman for the police, Brig Leonard Hlathi, said in a press statement on Thursday, the couple had allegedly taken their domestic helper to eMzinoni before they were killed.
However, after a photo of Mr Pretorius was circulated on Saturday, Const Mogadime confirmed that the Beukes couple kept an appointment with Mr Pretorius on the day of the murders.
“An argument allegedly ensued,” said Const Mogadime.
Social media was abuzz at the weekend with family members of the deceased claiming that the couple were beaten with a cricket bat and that Mr Petorius allegedly left a letter to his wife in which he explained the circumstances surrounding the Beukes couple’s deaths. Const Mogadime could not yet confirm this.
Although the police are also mum about another crime scene where the actual murders took place, Ridge Times has information that it is at Mr Pretorius’ rental farmhouse along the Alexandra road near the N17 just outside Bethal.
Except for a Weimaraner dog and some nearby cattle, the yard with its rugged chapel was quiet on Sunday morning.
The motive for the murders is yet unknown.
Dr Beukes was the Emeritus (retired) reverend of the Hervormde Kerk (Reformed Church) in Bethal, but still led services in Morgenzon. Dr Beukes’ brother, Mr Wilco Beukes, said the murders came as a huge shock to him and their other two brothers.
“We knew we were to die someday, but the way in which Hannes and Ibel died, is shocking. Just the other day we were talking about the fact that all of us were still in good health.”
He was not aware of his brother’s business deals and ventures and has no idea what was the couple’s relationship with Mr Pretorius.
The Beukes’ sons, Andries and Evan, and daughter, Marelise, live abroad. They also have four granddaughters.
Ms Lietie Swanepoel, a lifelong friend of Dr and Ms Beukes described her two best friends as “people with heart and soul who would do themselves in, just so that they can help someone else.”
She said they were incapable of hurting even a fly.
Ms Swanepoel always looked after the couple’s dogs when they were away and the friends would often jest that “Lietie would someday inherit the dogs”.
“This is not the way I wanted to keep the dogs. I will miss them dearly,” she said.
Rev Cobus and Mari Manders, the current ministers of the Reformed Church in Bethal, said the congregation was in shock.
“Dr Hannes and Ibel leave an empty place in the community. They left deep footprints in the and did wonderful work for the church. Our hearts go out to their children, family and friends.”
The Beukes couple will be cremated and a memorial service will be held later when their children are able to fly back to South Africa. Mr Pretorius was still at large at time of going to press on Monday, 23 March.
Article written by: Arisja Misselhorn & Wilma van Vuuren
Read here how the story developed:
https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/158164/geliefde-egpaar-van-bethal-moontlik-vermoor/
