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Immediate Family
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About Anthony Dinnis
Anthony Dinnis (1950 – 2023)
Brief overview:
Anthony (known as Tony) (73), and his wife Gillian Dinnis (Jill) (78), a retired couple living at Scottburg Farm in Middelrus, Mooi River, were kidnapped from their farm on 30th August 2023. The couples' son Sam received a WhatsApp message from his mother’s phone on 2nd September.
A search for the couple was conducted the same day after the co-ordinator of the daily check-in via radio from the surrounding farms did not receive any reply from Tony and Jill. A missing person’s case was opened at the Mooi River Police Station.
Detective Warrant Officer Johannes de Lange, said that a R2 million ransom demand was sent to Sam of the missing couple just a few days after their disappearance. The WhatsApp message was sent from Jill's phone on 2nd September 2023, and was written in Zulu, which read: “To make things easy just pay 2 [two million] into this bank account number if you want to see your parents again.” The bank account where the money was to be sent belonged to Gillian. The message was also sent to a phone belonging to the couple’s daughter Kate.
On 20th March 2024, it was revealed in the Mooi River court that the couple was murdered shortly after being kidnapped and their bodies dismembered to be sold for muthi in Johannesburg. The second suspect, still to be named, revealed to police exactly how the couple was murdered alleging that they cut off body parts, which they planned to sell for R50,000.
Brief Biography:
- Other Victims/Family
- Funeral/Memorial
- The Farm/Smallholding
- The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)
Attack Details:
- Date and time of attack
- Weapons
- Items Stolen
- A brush cutter, chainsaw and a TV.
- Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
- Torture, Gratuitous violence
- Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.
Perpetrator details:
- Number and Descriptions
- 4
- Arrests
- Lungelo Mkhize (22), and a second suspect (un-named) were arrested on 16th September 2023, following an investigation that linked Mkhize to a cellphone, which had used a SIM card that had been inserted into the couple’s cellphone during their disappearance. The case against them seemingly fell apart and both were released. They were re-arrested in March 2024.
- Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
- Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
- Trial/Conviction
- 20/03/2024: Detective Warrant Officer Johannes de Lange said Mkhize, who had worked for the couple for two years, was found in possession of the handset, as well as a firearm, allegedly used in the kidnapping, when he was arrested. “The suspect was brought to the crime intelligence office in Pietermaritzburg, where he mentioned to the members that he was involved in the kidnapping of two white people." The second suspect reportedly worked for the couple for about three years after he was referred to them by Mkhize, who had found a job as a security guard in Mooi River. De Lange said two other suspects, who were both armed, still needed to be traced; and that Mkhize might evade justice if he were released on bail, having been made aware of the strength of the state’s case.
- In an affidavit, Mkhize told the court that he would not interfere with the investigation and didn’t know the state’s witnesses. He added that he had no previous convictions or pending cases.
- The magistrate denied him bail and the case was postponed to 19th April for a regional court date.
Additional Biographical Information:
Links to Media articles:
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Anthony Dinnis's Timeline
| 1950 |
1950
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England, United Kingdom
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| 2023 |
August 30, 2023
Age 73
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Middelsrus, Mooi River, Indlovu DC, KZN, South Africa
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