Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of a farmer’s wife from Smithfield in the Free State.
Poenkie Bissett’s husband, Arthur Bissett, found her dead next to her vehicle on their farm Korhaanfontein, near Smithfield, on Monday morning.
As previously reported , Arthur left the farmhouse around 7:30 a.m. to go to nearby kraals and perform his daily chores. Poenkie apparently told him that she would first finish the laundry after which she would go to town.
Arthur returned to the farmhouse around 11:30 and then found Poenkie next to her car on the ground. The car was parked next to the house. She was just on her way to town.
“The house was locked and the vehicle’s keys and the house keys were found with her where she was lying on her stomach on the ground,” said brig. Police spokesperson Motantsi Makhele said.
It appears that the attackers were not in the house at all because the house was locked.
Smithfield safety coordinator Hugo Pretorius, who was at the scene himself, said she appeared to have been stabbed in the neck with a sharp object. The post-mortem will confirm how many times she was stabbed.
“Three suspects were arrested the same day in Smithfield in connection with her murder,” Pretorius confirmed.
According to Makhele, one of the suspects (43) who was arrested was found in possession of items that possibly belonged to Poenkie.
“Earrings, a wedding ring and cash were found in the suspect’s possession,” said Makhele.
“We are expecting more arrests and the investigation is continuing in the meantime.”
