By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
25 May 2025- Two men were sentenced to 18 years by the Northern Cape High Court for farm murder in Jan Kempdorp. Three men, Lucky Bohelo (26), Kernels Persent (23) and Maxim Hutama (24), were subsequently arrested, but Bohelo was eventually acquitted of all charges.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sergio Kock said both Persent and Hutama, were sentenced to 18 years for murder and 5 years for robbery. Kock said the sentences will run concurrently.
“The incident took place on a plot of Renier Adrian Jooste (60), near Jan Kempdorp in 2018. Jooste was severely assaulted and his naked body with a stabbing wound in the chest was discovered by an employee.
“The accused fled with valuables, including bank cards, cell phones, electrical tools and alcoholic beverages of the deceased,” he said.
Kock further said the SAPS Provincial Organized Crime with the assistance of the K9 unit and the SAPS Crime Scene Management Centre, followed up on a tip-off and arrested three men on a chicken farm, near Jan Kempdorp. He added that the police also recovered most of the stolen goods that were robbed from the deceased.
Meanwhile, the Northern Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, commended Detective Warrant Officer Patrick Dibebe and his team from Provincial Organized Crime Investigations for their meticulous investigation that led to the outstanding contact crime conviction.
The Guardian 