Mpumalanga woman in court for murder of brother-in-law after body found in bushes
Melissa Vica faces murder charges after her brother-in-law was found dead in the bushes.
Image: Facebook/ Melissa Vice
A 29-year-old Mpumalanga woman has been remanded in custody after appearing at the Witbank Magistrate's Court on charges of allegedly murdering her brother-in-law.
Melissa Vice is accused of killing Willie Visser whose body was discovered on December 16, 2025.
The discovery was made after police responded to a complaint of a body found in the bushes at the Seekoeiwater plots, near Doornpoort Sub-Station.
Police said the body was discovered when a passer-by walking along a dirt road from Bankenveld towards Seekoeiwater plots noticed the body of a man lying in the bushes a few metres from the road.
"He immediately informed his employer, who subsequently alerted the police. Upon arrival at the scene, police found the deceased lying on his back with visible bruises to the face, arms, and stomach," said police.
Preliminary investigations suggest the body was dumped at the scene. Police said this conclusion is based on vehicle tyre tracks that were observed near where the body was discovered.
"It is further suspected that the deceased was assaulted with a blunt object, which resulted in his death."
The deceased was later identified as 25-year-old Visser.
Following further investigations, Vice who is married to Visser's brother, was arrested in connection with the incident on Christmas Eve.
She appeared at Emalahleni Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 29 December 2025, facing a charge of murder.
She has been remanded in custody, and the matter was postponed to January 14, 2026, for formal bail application.
IOL