Hard work, luck lands killer in jail

Life sentence for Cookhouse farmer’s murderer

GOOD, old-fashioned detective work and bit of luck led police to well-known Cookhouse farmer Jonathan Troskie’s killer.

Murderer Luyanda Ximiya, 26, was arrested at the police station after he was spotted inquiring about the case’s progress in Cookhouse.

He was sentenced in the Grahamstown High Court on Thursday to life imprisonment for murder.

Another 35 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition were added on.

Ximiya shot and killed Troskie, 71, and then savagely beat his wife, Idelette, 73, in December 2013.

Troskie was shot and killed after going to an outbuilding at about 10pm to check why a generator kept tripping.

At the time, the couple’s five young grandchildren – aged between six and 14 – were staying for the holidays.

The children were locked in a bedroom by Ximiya and three others before they assaulted Idelette.

Four suspects were believed to be involved but evidence only incriminated Ximiya. Idelette has since left the farm and moved to Somerset West.

The case was handed over to the Organised Crime division of the Hawks.

Hawks lead detective Warrant Officer Shane Kuhn, 44, yesterday revealed Ximiya had been arrested four days after the attack.

“The attack itself was life changing for the family. They were traumatised and we were determined to catch the perpetrators,” said Kuhn, a detective of 25 years.