Same-sex couple who were raped and murdered were allegedly soaked with acid and burned with petrol
The couple went missing last year after leaving their home for a funeral in South Africa
A lesbian couple who were raped, tortured and murdered last year were allegedly soaked with acid and burned with petrol during their horrific murder.
Joey van Niekerk and wife Gesina Sophia ‘Anisha’ van Niekerk went missing on December 10 last year after leaving their Mooinooi home for a funeral in South Africa. When the couple failed to arrive, police began a search that uncovered their burned out car six days later.
South African news site eNCA reports that the couple were raped and hung in a container at the farm of the accused after they were kidnapped. The bodies were then soaked with acid and burnt with petrol shortly before their remains were put inside a bag and thrown away at a mountain nearby.
Aaron Sithole, 23, Koos Strydom, 53, Jack Sithole, 18, Alex Mudau, 36, Moses Rakubu, 33, Vincent Strydom, 29, Maroela Opperman, 18, and Marchia Strydom, 21, have been accused of the murder and are currently facing trial.
The eight accused of the murder are facing charges that include kidnapping, rape, break-in, murder and robbery with aggravated circumstances.
In January, the man thought to be behind the murder said he was “good friends” with the couple who regularly visited him at his shop. He also claimed that police tortured and assaulted him into extracting a confession.
The man claimed he was hit on the nose, ribs and right ear and was left bruised. He alleges that his left index finger was left broken after police allegedly slapped, kicked and hit him.