Three suspects appeared in the Petrusburg Magistrates' Court on 14 May 2009, on charges of housebreakingj, theft and attempted murder. The case was postponed for further investigation and for the suspects to seek legal representation. The three were arrested by Detective/ Inspector Mpata on 12 May 2009 in Bolokanang location near Petrusburg. It is alleged that on 8 May 2009 at about 19:00, four suspects arrived on Vergenoeg farm in Petrusburg, after allegedly hiring a vehicle to drive them to the farm with the promise of paying later. Two of the suspects previously worked at the farm and were well informed about the routine of the farm owners. The suspects waited for the farmowners to leave, before they broke a window and gained access to the house. On returning, Mr Venter, the farm owner, noticed that the window was broken and went inside to get a torch while his wife waited outside, and found the house ransacked. He went outside to investigate and met with the suspects who assaulted him. His wife ran and locked herself in the outside toilet from where she managed to phone their son who called the police. Realising that Mr Venter was no longer moving while being assaulted, the suspects assumed that he was unconscious and fled with the stolen goods. He suffered injuries to his face and was treated at a local doctor. The stolen hi-fi system was later found in the veld, indicating that the suspects dropped it as it was too heavy to carry. The stolen cellphone and some of the stolen clothes were found during the arrest of the first suspect who confessed everything and led the police to the other suspects. The three accused, 22-year-old Jan " Toffy" Motete, 35-year-old Steven Sibongile Khuze and the 25-year-old Esau " Chikoya" Lemane will appear in court again on 22 May 2009. The fourth suspect was arrested on 14 May 2009 at about 19:00 in Turflaagte in Bloemfontein. The 23-year-old suspect will appear in the Petrusburg Magistrates' Court on Monday, 18 May 2009.
|
