Middelburg businessman’s body found at off-ramp
The motive for the murder has not yet been established.
Captain Nomsa Sekele, spokesperson for the Benoni Police Station confirmed that an inquest docket is currently under investigation and that no arrests have been made, following the discovery of the body of Johan Cowan (49), a businessman from Middelburg.
Cowan was found dead in his idling bakkie at the Snake Road off-ramp, at 03:00 on June 16.
Sekele said sector policing members were conducting routine patrols when they noticed a white Toyota Hilux double cab next to the road.
“The back passenger door was open,” she said.
“Upon closer inspection, the driver of the vehicle was found dead in the driver’s seat with gunshot wounds to the upper body.”
The Benoni City Times’ sister publication, the Middelburg Observer reported that Cowan, a director of Genet Mineral Processing, was allegedly called out to one of the group’s new mines in Vanderbijlpark on June 15.
According to his wife, Lunilda, they were in contact throughout the day. However, all communication stopped later that evening.
Employees of the mine were also unable to reach him telephonically.
“While at the scene, the victim’s phone started ringing and the investigating officer of the Benoni Detective Branch answered,” said Sekele.
“Information regarding the discovery of the victim’s body was relayed to the caller, one of the victim’s colleagues.”
Anne Cowan, the victim’s mother, told the Observer that Cowan’s laptop, cellphone and personal firearm were found in the vehicle.
“Johan spends a great deal of time on the road and, therefore, always travels with his firearm.
“We were informed that two spent cartridges were found inside the bakkie but it is not yet clear if his own firearm was used for the murder,” she said.
She further stated that the vehicle’s tracking system indicated that the vehicle had driven through an informal settlement before it was found.
Cowan is survived by his wife and two children.
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