Two Eastern Cape brothers were arrested after their aunt was killed and her body burned in  Tyusha village outside King William’s Town last month.

The suspects, aged 13 and 27 respectively, appeared in the Zwelitsha magistrate's court on Monday to face charges of robbery and murder.

They were arrested earlier this month.

“The deceased was strangled and her body burnt by her nephews after allegations that she chased away the 27-year-old from home for selling her cow,” said police spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci.

“He later returned to kill her and also robbed her of an undisclosed amount of money. Quick police investigation led to the arrest of the two suspects.”

According to a police source, who cannot be named as he is not authorised to speak to the media, a report of a missing person was opened at Izele police station after the woman, a nurse working in Cape Town, went missing on January 1.

“She came back from Cape Town to follow a report that her nephew had sold her cow,” said the source.

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