Police have arrested three men in connection with the brutal rape and murder of an elderly KwaZulu-Natal nun .
The small midlands town of Ixopo was rocked last week by the murder of Gertrud Tiefenbacher‚ 86‚ who was found bound and gagged in her room at the Scared Heart Convent last Sunday.
Police launched a manhunt for the killers and‚ with the assistance of the close-knit community‚ nabbed three suspects‚ aged between 25 and 35‚ on Monday.
They will appear in the Ixopo Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday to face murder‚ house robbery and rape charges.
Austrian-born Tiefenbacher‚ who had been with the convent for 60 years and worked closely with children in the community‚ was restrained with a typewriter cord.
Police believe her attackers used a towel to suffocate her.
“It is alleged that foreign currency had been taken from Tiefenbacher’s room. It is also suspected that the victim was raped before she was killed‚” said police spokesman Major Thulani Zwane.
The suspects were found in possession of stolen property which‚ police say‚ belonged to Tiefenbacher.
KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni commended the task team for the hard work that led to the arrest of the suspects.
“We believe that some of the missing goods will be recovered as the members are still investigating the matter‚” said Ngobeni.
“I also wish to thank members of the community who responded to my call and provided information to the police which aided in the arrest of the suspects.
“We hope that justice will be served and these thugs are imprisoned for a long time‚” she added.
Police nab three suspects for Ixopo nun's murder
Police have arrested three men in connection with the brutal rape and murder of an elderly KwaZulu-Natal nun .
The small midlands town of Ixopo was rocked last week by the murder of Gertrud Tiefenbacher‚ 86‚ who was found bound and gagged in her room at the Scared Heart Convent last Sunday.
Police launched a manhunt for the killers and‚ with the assistance of the close-knit community‚ nabbed three suspects‚ aged between 25 and 35‚ on Monday.
They will appear in the Ixopo Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday to face murder‚ house robbery and rape charges.
Austrian-born Tiefenbacher‚ who had been with the convent for 60 years and worked closely with children in the community‚ was restrained with a typewriter cord.
Police believe her attackers used a towel to suffocate her.
“It is alleged that foreign currency had been taken from Tiefenbacher’s room. It is also suspected that the victim was raped before she was killed‚” said police spokesman Major Thulani Zwane.
The suspects were found in possession of stolen property which‚ police say‚ belonged to Tiefenbacher.
KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni commended the task team for the hard work that led to the arrest of the suspects.
“We believe that some of the missing goods will be recovered as the members are still investigating the matter‚” said Ngobeni.
“I also wish to thank members of the community who responded to my call and provided information to the police which aided in the arrest of the suspects.
“We hope that justice will be served and these thugs are imprisoned for a long time‚” she added.
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