Willem Magiel Verkes

Willem Magiel Verkes (1940 - 2005)

Brief overview:

Willem (64), was stabbed to death at his Bloemspruit smallholding in Eeufees Road, in Bloemfontein, on 18th March 2005.

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
• Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
• Torture, Gratuitous violence
• Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.

Perpetrator details:

• Number and Descriptions
• Arrests
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction
  • IT would be irresponsible of a court to impose less than the heaviest punishment imaginable on the two men who murdered Mr. Willem Verkes (64), a Bloemfontein pigeon farmer, and kidnapped and stabbed his 13-year-old son.

If he could have imposed a heavier sentence than life imprisonment on them, he would have done so without hesitation, Judge A.P. Beckley said yesterday in the Free State High Court when he sentenced these two defendants. The accused, Messrs. Son Herman Thiza (31) and James Buti Mosebi (24), deserve "to spend the rest of their lives behind bars".
Verkes' youngest son (now 15), who wanted to close his father's eyes before the killers kidnapped him (the boy), was stabbed with knives and left for dead. He must now undergo psychological treatment again, it was revealed in court yesterday.
The boy was threatened with death if he cried. Verkes' house on a farm in Eeufees Road, Bloemspruit, was completely destroyed after Thiza - with Verkes Sr. inside it - set it on fire.
They also received 15 years in prison each for burglary with intent to rob and aggravated robbery; 12 years each for attempted murder of Verkes' son; and three years in prison each for the boy's kidnapping. Thiza was also sentenced to five years in prison for arson.
Yesterday, the murderers stared out in front of them seemingly emotionless while the judgment was passed on them. Beckley said the boy, who suffered 9 or 10 stab wounds, "is lucky" that the fifth house in the squatter camp where he sought help after his abduction called for help and he received medical treatment that likely saved his life. saved
According to the autopsy report on Verkes, the evidence indicates that he was still alive when the house was set on fire.
Adv. Danie Pretorius, for the state, was told that the community is fed up and expects the courts to impose heavier and longer sentences. "The objectives of deterrence and retaliation must come out very strongly in a case like this," said Beckley.
Mosebi's application for leave to appeal against his conviction on certain charges and his sentence was dismissed by Beckley.

Additional Biographical Information:

• Identity Number : 4012165103087
• Cause of death : Multiple stab
• https://archive.is/yFUde

Links to Media articles:

• https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000187543537916
• http://152.111.11.6/argief/berigte/volksblad/2006/10/25/VB/1/jmbeck... (broken link)