TWO men have confessed to the murder of a businessman who was chopped to death with an axe during a burglary in his shop.
TWO men have confessed to the murder of a businessman who was chopped to death with an axe during a burglary in his shop.
Petrus Makgubedu, 68, of Buffelshoek village near Acornhoek, was killed by an axe-wielding burglar in the early hours of Monday morning.
Acornhoek police spokes-person Inspector Themba Thwala told Sowetan yesterday that Makgubedu was sleeping in his shop because he was tired of burglars who stole his groceries at night.
"He armed himself with a revolver and left his wife in his house while he went to sleep in the shop to act as a guard," Thwala said.
"He heard someone breaking into his shop at about 2am and went to investigate.
The victim fired two shots at the intruder and a bullet grazed the intruder across the chest."
Thwala said the intruder was slightly wounded and he then ambushed Makgubedu, who was searching for him in the shop.
"The intruder chopped the old man over the head twice with an axe, killing him on the spot," Thwala said.
The intruder and another man, who was waiting outside, quickly stole groceries from the shop before escaping with the axe and Makgubedu's revolver.
Makgubedu's wife later discovered her husband lying in a pool of blood with serious wounds to his head and called the police.
Thwala said the police followed bloodstains along a footpath that led to a home about 5km away from the crime scene. He said groceries were found along the way, suggesting that it had been dropped because the suspects were running.
When the robber went to Maphuta Malatjie Hospital, nurses called in the police because the man could not explain how he had sustained a bullet wound.
"We rushed to the hospital where we interviewed the man, who confessed to the killing of the old man," Thwala said.
"He pointed out his accomplice to us and they both confessed to the crime today."
He said that police recovered the axe that was used in the murder and the stolen revolver.
The two suspects, aged 24 and 27, are expected to appear in the Acornhoek magistrate's court today on charges of murder androbbery.
Burglars hack shop owner to death
TWO men have confessed to the murder of a businessman who was chopped to death with an axe during a burglary in his shop.
TWO men have confessed to the murder of a businessman who was chopped to death with an axe during a burglary in his shop.
Petrus Makgubedu, 68, of Buffelshoek village near Acornhoek, was killed by an axe-wielding burglar in the early hours of Monday morning.
Acornhoek police spokes-person Inspector Themba Thwala told Sowetan yesterday that Makgubedu was sleeping in his shop because he was tired of burglars who stole his groceries at night.
"He armed himself with a revolver and left his wife in his house while he went to sleep in the shop to act as a guard," Thwala said.
"He heard someone breaking into his shop at about 2am and went to investigate.
The victim fired two shots at the intruder and a bullet grazed the intruder across the chest."
Thwala said the intruder was slightly wounded and he then ambushed Makgubedu, who was searching for him in the shop.
"The intruder chopped the old man over the head twice with an axe, killing him on the spot," Thwala said.
The intruder and another man, who was waiting outside, quickly stole groceries from the shop before escaping with the axe and Makgubedu's revolver.
Makgubedu's wife later discovered her husband lying in a pool of blood with serious wounds to his head and called the police.
Thwala said the police followed bloodstains along a footpath that led to a home about 5km away from the crime scene. He said groceries were found along the way, suggesting that it had been dropped because the suspects were running.
When the robber went to Maphuta Malatjie Hospital, nurses called in the police because the man could not explain how he had sustained a bullet wound.
"We rushed to the hospital where we interviewed the man, who confessed to the killing of the old man," Thwala said.
"He pointed out his accomplice to us and they both confessed to the crime today."
He said that police recovered the axe that was used in the murder and the stolen revolver.
The two suspects, aged 24 and 27, are expected to appear in the Acornhoek magistrate's court today on charges of murder androbbery.
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