“Heart-wrenching and senseless,” is how Vosman police spokesperson describes the murder of Mr Daniel Maritz.

Captain Lizzy Hlathi, spokesperson from Vosman SAPS said four suspects appeared in Middelburg Magistrate’s Court this morning (November 20), facing charges of murder, defeating the ends of justice as well as violation of a corpse.

The suspects aged between 25 and 44 years old were arrested on Thursday, November 16.

Their arrests follow the discovery of the charred body of Maritz (27) in the boot of a vehicle that was burnt beyond recognition on the day of their arrest.

The events that unfolded from the time the murder was committed to when the suspects were apprehended read like a horror story out of a Stephen King book.

The man was murdered in Middelburg and the suspects allegedly transported the body to Clewer where the vehicle with the body in it was set alight.

The vehicle belongs the one of the suspects.

Breaking News | Man’s body found inside burned-out car in Clewer, eMalahlenihttps://t.co/fCznQcdsiFhttps://t.co/GRZazFoXBF

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At around 07:30 a security guard took police to the burnt-out vehicle near Umlalazi Mine on Thursday.

“Police discovered the remains of the man in the boot of the car,” Hlathi said.

They were still busy with their investigation later the day when a tow truck driver wanted to tow the burnt vehicle away and he was refused permission by the police.

This led the police to further investigate and three people were called in for questioning at about 18:00.

“It was further discovered that the same individuals opened a theft of motor vehicle case at Witbank Police Station and were redirected to Vosman as the scene of crime falls within our boundaries,” Hlathi said.

All the pieces just did not add up and police intensified their questioning.

“Police concluded that the suspects were allegedly trying to conceal the murder by removing the vehicle as well as the body from the scene. The sequence of events compelled police to add additional charges of defeating the ends of justice as well as violation of corpse. It is believed that there is a fifth suspect still on the run,” Hlathi said.

The Station Commander of Vosman Brigadier Lindani Ndlovu is elated about the sterling and collective work which was done by all the formations.

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