Wiltrus Boshoff, a man who was accused with seven others of cattle theft in the North West, took his own life.
Brig. Sabata Mokgwabone, North-West police spokesperson, confirmed that an inquest was opened into Boshoff’s death after he apparently shot himself in the head on Sunday evening. A worker who was looking through a window on Monday morning came across Boshoff around 09:30 and called for help.
The police are conducting an investigation.
An insider says it seems that Boshoff’s suicide is not related to the complaint against him, but due to a personal issue. “I think he shot himself because he was emotionally and financially alone for the past while.”
Boshoff was arrested in late 2022 along with six other defendants and appeared on charges of theft in the Molope Magistrate’s Court in Mmabatho. Boshoff appeared in court together with the brothers Bert and Simon Wessel, Stephan Wallis, Janine Hill, Ntlhothana Motswabangwe and Rapula Letsapa.
He was still under house arrest.
The case against the other accused, which is still ongoing, has been adjourned until next month.
A farmer from Ottoshoop, who asked not to be identified, but suffered livestock theft losses of almost a million rand, says farmers from this area still lose an awful lot of livestock due to theft in the area. “The problem in the country is famine. People receive state allowance, but it is little.”
He says on top of that there is an influx of people from abroad.
