A North West man is accused of murdering his son and two of his wife's young relatives by feeding them poison-laced pies.
Daniel Mokwai, 62, was arrested on Monday and appeared in the Bloemhof magistrate’s court on Wednesday. He will be kept in custody until the case resumes on September 4. The postponement was to give him time to appoint a legal representative.
Police spokesperson Col Adéle Myburgh said the three victims died over a period of three years.
“In all three cases, the accused claimed from his insurance policies,” she said.
As the number of victims grew, family members became suspicious. They told police all three had fallen ill and died after the suspect bought them pies. A murder case was opened and the bodies were exhumed.
“Pathology reports confirmed they were poisoned.”
The first two deaths were his wife's relatives: boys aged 16 and 17.
The third victim, Mothibi Alpheos Mokwai, 31, was the accused’s son.
TimesLIVE
'Blood money': family elder arrested after exhumations prove poisoning
Image: 123RF/ALLAN SWART
A North West man is accused of murdering his son and two of his wife's young relatives by feeding them poison-laced pies.
Daniel Mokwai, 62, was arrested on Monday and appeared in the Bloemhof magistrate’s court on Wednesday. He will be kept in custody until the case resumes on September 4. The postponement was to give him time to appoint a legal representative.
Police spokesperson Col Adéle Myburgh said the three victims died over a period of three years.
“In all three cases, the accused claimed from his insurance policies,” she said.
As the number of victims grew, family members became suspicious. They told police all three had fallen ill and died after the suspect bought them pies. A murder case was opened and the bodies were exhumed.
“Pathology reports confirmed they were poisoned.”
The first two deaths were his wife's relatives: boys aged 16 and 17.
The third victim, Mothibi Alpheos Mokwai, 31, was the accused’s son.
TimesLIVE
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