North West MEC for Human Settlements, Safety and Liaison, Desbo Mohono comments police for the swift arrest of four suspects in the Moedwil farm attack on Friday evening. The suspects allegedly beat to death a 63 year old woman and seriously injured her husband.
Police tracked down the suspects aged between 16 and 24 to Lethabong outside Rustenburg following the attack on Christiaan Stephanus Erasmus and his wife Marthie Magdalena. Erasmus (62) was admitted to Peglarae hospital in Rustenburgwith serious head injuries.
One of the suspects resides in Mosenthal where the elderly couple’s bakkie was found abandoned on Friday morning after it had overturned. Hewas previously Erasmus’ employeeat the Hartbeesfontein farm in the Koster district.
Five firearms, one air rifle, clothing, jewellery, a microwave, Christmas gifts, three cellular phones and R1500 were recovered by police at a house in Bospoortdam where the father of one of the suspects works.
When police arrived at the house they found the father already attempting to contact the police about the possessions he had found in the house.
In applauding the reaction of the father and his attempt to report the stolen goods to the police, MEC Mhonono said that the recovery of all firearms before they endangered the lives of other innocent people attest to the determination of police to render efficient and effective policing intended to rid communities of crime.
The elderly farming couple was reportedly attacked and assaulted on their farm around 4:30 pm on Thursday.
They were just about to get inside their house when they were surprised by three unknown men while a forth man was suspected to have been at the gate.
The wife was allegedly dragged to the bedroom where her hands and feet were tied up and then beaten to death with a 16 pound hammer allegedly found at the crime scene.
Meanwhile, her husband was tied up on a chair in the kitchen and also severely beaten. Erasmus managed to untie the electric extension cord and ropes about two hours after the suspects had fled the scene and alerted his farmworkers who raised the alarm.
The arrested suspects are expected to appear before the Koster Magistrate's court on Monday to face charges of murder, attempted murder, house robbery and possession of unlicensed fire arms.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: 018 381 9171
Fax: 018 381 9123
Cell: 083 629 1987
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
