JOHAN van Niekerk, husband of the woman who was murdered in Bellair, said the robbery that took place at his home was a hard blow for him. Speaking to the Queensburgh News, he said his wife, Lien, was a soft and loving person. “This whole thing is a hard blow to me, I loved my wife very much and she is missed dearly. My wife was the kind of person who went out of her way to help somebody and wouldn’t do anyone harm,” he said.
While police reports stated that Van Niekerk was at home during the robbery, he confirmed that he had left the country for Mozambique on the morning of the incident. “I flew out to Mozambique on work on that day and the first thing I did when I landed was call my wife and everything was fine. We normally have church meetings on Wednesday night in the house. The robbers came in while they were preparing for it,” he explained. Van Niekerk said, Greg Adams, a church member, was usually the first person to arrive to help set up for the night’s proceedings and the robbers came in while they were waiting for the rest of the congregation.
“We were inside the house having a chat when the robbers walked in and held us up with firearms. They kept us on the couch and browsed through the house like they knew what they were looking for,” recalled Adams. He said the armed men asked for the car and safe keys and managed to find the car keys in Lien’s bag. “This incident has been traumatic and I thank God everyday for my sanity, for the strength He has given me and for His protection,” Adams added.
I was called at 9.30pm and told that my wife had died. It was really frustrating because I could not leave Mozambique right away, I had to wait for the next flight out which would leave the next day, – he explained.
Van Niekerk said he could not understand why the men who invaded his home on Wednesday, 27 April, did not leave his wife alone. “By all means, take the furniture, take the car but don’t hit or shoot at anybody, especially if they do as you say. They took the CCTV footage, its hard drive and monitor, TVs and our new car of three weeks.” He added that he had forgiven the robbers for an abrupt end of his 42-year marriage through scriptures and faith. “I hold no grudge against them for what they did to my wife. I know that through forgiveness, she’s now free and not bound to anyone. If they are caught, they will get their punishment,” said van Niekerk.
Pot-mortem results revealed that Lien’s cause of death was a fatal blow to the head. Bellair police confirmed that no arrests have been made.
