Son (46) and co-accused appear in court in connection with murder of 67-year-old
A 46-year-old son appeared in the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (21 Februarie 2023) on murder charges after the body of 67-year-old mother was found in a veld at Redan with gunshot wounds to her head.
VEREENIGING. – The 46-year-old son of Charlotte Fenn (67) from Sonlandpark, who was murdered and whose body was later dumped near Redan, appeared briefly in the Vereeniging Magistrate’s court in connection with her murder on Tuesday, February 21.
Grant du Toit, who lived on the property of his mother in Sonlandpark, as well as two of the deceased’s tenants, Quintin Edgar and Linday Kirton, now face charges of murder, kidnapping, theft of motor vehicle and malicious damage to property, following Fenn’s murder.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Du Toit’s lawyer, Jaco van Heerden, submitted an application to gain access to certain statements within the police docket as well as incriminating video footage for the purposes of the bail application.
Van Heerden argued that access to this information goes hand in hand to Du Toit’s right to a fair trial.
Magistrate Chris Kruger postponed the case to Thursday 23 February 2023 to afford the state an opportunity to make submissions in this regard.
The body of the 67-year-old Fenn from Sonlandpark was discovered by a passer-by in a veld near Redan on Monday 6th February 2023, hidden under a black refuse bag days after her burnt-out Kia bakkie was found on a farm near Sasolburg.
Fenn, who rendered garden services so she can support two of her adult children, had gone missing on Thursday 2nd February while she was on her way to the R59 highway in her Kia bakkie.
A missing person enquiry was registered on Friday 3rd February 2023 by her grandchildren.
While investigating the case police came across footage of an Opel Kadette belonging to Edgar following Fenn on the R59 highway shortly before her death.
Du Toit, Edgar and Kirton were arrested earlier this month and now face charges of murder, kidnapping, theft of motor vehicle and malicious damage to property.
Fenn’s daughter, Renee Gericke (49), told Vaalweekblad that the deceased had still been working at the age of 67 to that she can support two adult children.
Fenn’s eldest daughter, Lorrain Venter (50), is being cared for at a centre for patients with cerebral palsy in Johannesburg. Fenn paid the monthly bills for her daughter’s care.
According to Gericke her brother still lived with their mother because he argued that he is unable to work because of a condition he had suffered from since childhood.
Du Toit was burn with clubbed feet, but according to Gericke he received treatment which resulted in him being able to live a normal life.
“There was nothing wrong with his feet, but he insisted that he is unable to work because of that,” Gericke told Vaalweekblad.
Amukelani Rikhotso represents the state in the case, while Willem Smit represents Edgar and Tanya Barnard represents Kirton.
