S.Africa: Attack on Farmers: Farm attackers who brutalised couple (80’s) sentenced to 15 years, Bethulie

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Bethulie Regional Court has on Friday, 9 April 2021 sentenced two suspects to fifteen years direct imprisonment for attacking a farmer in September 2020 at his farm situated about 25 kilometres from Bethulie.

The accused, Poto Manietjie Marolloane (34) and Mabhuti Ernest Velaphi (31) were sentenced to fifteen years each after the court found them guilty of House Robbery.

On 23 September 2020 at about 21:50 the duo entered the farm house through a broken window and they tied up the owner and his wife. They fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash, three firearms and a vehicle.

The vehicle was found abandoned next to the road with no occupants inside and the one firearm was found inside the vehicle under the passenger seat.

Further investigation led to the arrest of the two accused and they took the police to the bushes where they buried the two firearms and were positively linked to the crime scene.

The duo never received bail since their arrest on 29 September 2020.

The Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Solly Lesia said “this will send a clear message to those criminals that are threatening our food hubs by robing, assaulting and sometimes killing the farmers. Well done to the Bethulie police for following up all the information you received from our community”.

The farmer, Kallie Kruger (87) who heard glass breaking went outside to investigate, he was attacked and overpowered by an unknown number of attackers who also took his firearm from him. He was then dragged back into the home and tied up with wire and assaulted along with his wife Mercia Kruger (82).

Source: https://southafricatoday.net/south-africa-news/free-state/farm-attackers-who-brutalised-couple-80s-sentenced-to-15-years-bethulie/

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