The case of two Coligny farmworkers who were found guilty of killing 16-year-old Matlhomola Mosweu has been postponed to next year to allow their defence to prepare for mitigation before the sentence.

With their heads down, Phillip Schutte and Pieter Dooreward listened as the court gave them more time before sentencing after the guilty verdict on Wednesday.

Judge Ronald Hendricks postponed the matter to January 28 after the defence requested more time to prepare for mitigation. The two remain in custody.

They were charged with murder, intimidation, theft, pointing of a firearm and kidnapping.

The pair maintained that Matlhomola, whom they accused of stealing sunflower heads, jumped from a moving bakkie while they were taking him to the police station.

The sole witness in the case, Bonakela Pakisi, gave the court a different version, saying he had seen the pair throwing Mosweu off a moving bakkie.

The court believed Pakisi’s evidence and said it was credible enough to find the pair guilty.