Northam – Three Zimbabwean men accused of the murder of 74-year-old German tourist Herman Gunter Friedrich Westphal appeared in the Northam Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo on Monday.
The murder accused, 36-year-old Jan Thabonga Moshabi, 22-year-old Abstein Madzvimbo, and 39-year-old Thomas Moyo, also face charges related to contravening the SA Immigration Act.
However, the matter was adjourned to next month to enable the accused to secure the services of a lawyer.
Narrating events that led to the arrest of the accused, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson in Limpopo division, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said Westphal was on a tour from Botswana.
On Friday, Westphal drove to South Africa in a Toyota sedan motor vehicle.
The German tourist arrived at Lephalale in the Waterberg District on Saturday morning.
Along the way, the good-natured German offered a hitchhiker a lift.
Apparently, the tourist asked the hitchhiker, who has since been identified as Moshabi, about accommodation around North West province.
“On arrival at the said accommodation in Moruleng, the suspect suggested they pass by a liquor outlet, where they had a few drinks,” Malabi-Dzhangi said.
“That’s when the suspect informed his two friends about the deceased.”
Preliminary investigations revealed that Moshabi had offered to accommodate the 74-year-old tourist at his place.
Moshabi and his two accomplices allegedly accompanied the German tourist.
Allegations are that upon arrival at Moshabi’s place, the trio turned on their “guest”.
They allegedly assaulted Westphal while demanding his bank account and PIN code.
“They also searched him and took an undisclosed amount of cash and other valuables,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
“The three suspects removed the vehicle’s number plates and drove with the victim while assaulting him to Northam and using a gravel road.
“When they reached a certain farm the suspects dragged the victim from the vehicle and dumped him in the bushes.”
Malabi-Dzhangi said during the night, alert security officials and a member of a rural safety network noticed a suspicious vehicle parked without number plates.
They stopped to investigate, and that is when they allegedly saw Moshabi with bloodstains on the T-shirt.
The security officers notified the police.
Moshabi was arrested at the scene, before police discovered the German tourist’s body in nearby bushes.
“The other two suspects were arrested in North West province later in the evening, in possession of some of the deceased’s belongings,” Malabi-Dzhangi said.
All the accused – Moshabi, Madzvimbo, and Moyo – were remanded in custody.
They will be back in court on 4 March 2024.
