Four men have been arrested in connection with the murder of consumer expert Dr Klaas Jonkheid, who was found dead on Saturday after attending a conference of the Southern African Marketing Research Society (SAMRA) last week.

Jonkheid, owner of Johannesburg agency The Consumer Psychology Lab, arrived at the Spier wine estate in the Western Cape on Wednesday to serve as a judge at the conference. His body was found in Faure, Stellenbosch at the weekend.

Stellenbosch Police spokesperson Captain René Matthee explained that while the men were arrested in Eerste River last night, they are being detained at Bellville South Police Station.

The suspects, aged between 22 and 24, were found with Jonkheid's cell phone and a battery and spare wheel of the hired blue Toyota Yaris he was using while at the conference.

Jonkheid was reported missing on Friday after he failed to turn up for a dinner function, and missed his flight back to Johannesburg the following morning. His hire car was later found burnt out near the Forest Train Station.

According to Matthee, the arrested men will face charges of murder and theft of a motor vehicle.

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