Cape Town – Three minors and a 21-year-old woman made a brief appearance in the Bellville Magistrate's Court yesterday in connection with the murder of a 58-year-old Parow man.
Vincent Bartes's body was found inside his Welgelegen house on Sunday. He had been stabbed and his hands and feet bound.
According to private security company District Watch, at about 10pm on Sunday two of its officers were alerted to a loud noise in the area.
“It reportedly sounded like a car accident. A short while later, officers were informed of a vehicle that had caused damage to a garage door at a premises in the area.
’’The officers made their way to the scene and immediately noticed that the garage door had been damaged from the inside. They then conducted a perimeter check and found that a door at the back of the premises was closed but unlocked.
’’The officers identified themselves as they entered and noticed that the house had been ransacked,” the company said.
On further inspection the officers from the company found Bartes, who was unresponsive and had stab wounds. They then called the police.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said four suspects, three of them aged between 16 and 17, along with a 21-year-old woman were arrested on Tuesday.
The accused faced charges of murder, house robbery and theft of a motor vehicle. It is understood that Bartes's vehicle was found on Monday in Mitchells Plain.
Meanwhile, Langa police are still trying to trace a suspect who is on the run after he allegedly killed his friend and wrapped the body in a blanket before stuffing it in a bag.
Luyanda Pentle, 33, was last seen leaving his Zone 4 home on Saturday morning. His decomposing body was discovered on Monday, hidden in a room.
Pentle had been stabbed to death. A local safety patrol member said Pentle's body was found after a woman allegedly managed to escape from a house, and reported that Pentle had allegedly been involved in a fight with a friend.
Cape Times