A man and his son will spend two decades behind bars after being found guilty of murdering a goat farmer in the North West almost four years ago.

The pair was sentenced in the high court in Pretoria on Tuesday.

“Schalk Myburgh, 52, was sentenced to 22 years' imprisonment for murder, of which five years were suspended on condition that he is not found guilty of any offence which has an element of violence,” said Col Adele Myburgh.

"Schalk Myburgh Jnr, 29, was also sentenced to 22 years in jail for murder, of which three years was suspended.”

The pair were convicted of killing Rickson Mavula on December 29 2015.

“Mavula was brutally murdered," said Adele Myburgh.

“It was revealed during court proceedings that about 8pm on the said day, Mavula, accompanied by his three children, drove his vehicle to look for one of his goats, which was trapped in the dam alongside Havana Road in Sandrift, Brits.

"The Mavulas were busy rescuing their goat when two males approached them and blocked the way by parking their vehicle in front of the family's car.” 

The father and son accused Mavula of stock theft and beat him severely in front of his children.

“It was during the assault that Mavula fell down on the ground. One of the accused, Schalk Myburgh Jnr, got in the vehicle and drove over Mavula. The accused left Mavula motionless and went to the nearby farm, where they related the story to the owner.”

The next day, the two went to the Brits police station, where they alleged they had been attacked by a group of around 10 people.

“A preliminary investigation was conducted and revealed that the allegations were false. Consequently the two were arrested on Sunday January 10 2016 through the evidence provided by Mavula's 15-year-old son, who also witnessed the gruesome ordeal.”