Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the murder of seven people on a farm in Kestell in the Free State.
The bodies of six women and one young man were discovered inside a house at Lismore farm on Friday. It is understood that the victims aged between 17 and 53 years old were found with gunshot wounds. The owner of the farm discovered the bodies and alerted the police.
Brigadier Motantsi Makhele, the provincial police spokesperson said an intelligence-led investigation resulted in the arrests of two suspects aged 22 and 34.
“The two were arrested on a road outside Bohlokong township. Two firearms, a shotgun and pellet gun believed to have been stolen from the same farmhouse were also recovered with the possibility that one of the firearms could be the murder weapon,” said Makhele.
“For now it can only be confirmed that the young man killed was 17 years old and the six women’s ages ranged from 22 to 53 years. We expect the next of kin to confirm their full names during the day while formal identification of the bodies will be conducted.”
The suspects are expected to appear in the Kestell Magistrate’s Court on Monday 18 July 2022, to face seven counts of murder, armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearms.