NEARLY four years ago, Ntsako Richard Mkhari and his four dogs were shot and killed while hunting on a farm at Prieska village outside Phalaborwa in Limpopo
On Monday, Mkhari's grieving family celebrated after his killer was convicted.
Johan van Niekerk was found guilty by the Phalaborwa regional court of murdering Mkhari.
He will be sentenced on July 22.
Mkhari and four of his 10 dogs were shot and killed in July 2007 while hunting on the farm Vyeboom, which belonged to Van Niekerk.
Mkhari was aged 45 at the time.
His family had reported him missing after only six of his 10 dogs returned home.
His badly decomposed body was later found tied up to a tree in the farm near Eiland two weeks later.
His tattered clothes were also found a few metres away from the scene, which suggested that Mkhari was killed before he was tied up to the tree.
Van Niekerk and his co-accused, Gert van Vuuren, who was 22 years old at the time of the incident, were later arrested and charged with murder.
Mkhari is survived by five children and wife Rosina Mukhabukhi.
Yesterday, four years after her husband's death, Mukhabukhi's face lit up with excitement after the court's decision.
"Finally, I believe the law has taken its course. The wheels of justice may have taken time to grind, but slowly and surely, the law will take its course," she said with a sigh of relief.
"Although I cannot bring back my husband to life, I now strongly believe that his soul will rest in peace."
Former SA Communist Party regional leader-turned businessman Tsheko Musolwa, who donated food parcels and clothes to the family, was equally ecstatic over the court's verdict.
"We have always hoped that justice would prevail. We are happy with the outcome," Musolwa said.
Relief as killer farmer is convicted
NEARLY four years ago, Ntsako Richard Mkhari and his four dogs were shot and killed while hunting on a farm at Prieska village outside Phalaborwa in Limpopo
On Monday, Mkhari's grieving family celebrated after his killer was convicted.
Johan van Niekerk was found guilty by the Phalaborwa regional court of murdering Mkhari.
He will be sentenced on July 22.
Mkhari and four of his 10 dogs were shot and killed in July 2007 while hunting on the farm Vyeboom, which belonged to Van Niekerk.
Mkhari was aged 45 at the time.
His family had reported him missing after only six of his 10 dogs returned home.
His badly decomposed body was later found tied up to a tree in the farm near Eiland two weeks later.
His tattered clothes were also found a few metres away from the scene, which suggested that Mkhari was killed before he was tied up to the tree.
Van Niekerk and his co-accused, Gert van Vuuren, who was 22 years old at the time of the incident, were later arrested and charged with murder.
Mkhari is survived by five children and wife Rosina Mukhabukhi.
Yesterday, four years after her husband's death, Mukhabukhi's face lit up with excitement after the court's decision.
"Finally, I believe the law has taken its course. The wheels of justice may have taken time to grind, but slowly and surely, the law will take its course," she said with a sigh of relief.
"Although I cannot bring back my husband to life, I now strongly believe that his soul will rest in peace."
Former SA Communist Party regional leader-turned businessman Tsheko Musolwa, who donated food parcels and clothes to the family, was equally ecstatic over the court's verdict.
"We have always hoped that justice would prevail. We are happy with the outcome," Musolwa said.
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