The man accused of kidnapping 57-year-old Charlene Overmeyer and murdering her will spend the next 2 decades behind bars.
Initial police reports reveal that Overmeyer was kidnapped from her home in St Montaque Village in Lavender Hill, Steenberg, on 10 July 2024 at approximately 20:45
According to police, the victim was watching television with her family when suddenly the electricity went off, and three unknown men entered the house with a flashlight and dragged the victim out of the house at gunpoint.
The suspects’ faces were covered to hide their identities, and they fled the scene with the victim in a silver vehicle.
Following investigations into the matter, police detectives found Overmeyer’s body 40 days later in a shallow grave in Xakabuntu, Vrygrond, Muizenberg.
Three suspects, 23-year-old Farried Williams, 51-year-old Charles Williams, and 31-year-old Jason Arendse, were later arrested for the crime after being positively linked to the kidnapping and murder of the victim. A charge of defeating the ends of justice was also added to their charge sheet.
The suspects were charged and brought before the Khayelitsha Magistrates’ Court on several occasions, and their bail was successfully opposed. The matter was then escalated to the Khayelitsha Priority court.
On Tuesday, the suspects appeared at the Khayalitsha Priority Court, where the charges against accused number one and accused number three were withdrawn. Accused number two, Charles Williams, was found guilty on all charges.
He was then sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for murder, 5 years for kidnapping and 3 years for defeating the ends of justice, resulting in a sentence of 23 years imprisonment.
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