Farm-attack murder trial begins in Circuit Court
Two men accused of allegedly strangling a man to death in a farm attack on trial in Nelspruit court.
NELSPRUIT – The trial of two men accused of attacking a couple on a farm and murdering the husband on December 17 2010, began in the Circuit Court of the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday.
Mr Thomas Nyathi and Mr Aaron Nkosi have been charged with the murder of
Mr Johannes Hendrik Schoeman (86), as well as kidnapping and armed robbery.
Investigating officer, WO Orcilla Loubscher of the Badplaas police, testified in court that she had taken blood samples from the accused and verified that none of the evidence had been tampered with.
SAPA (South African Press Association) reported that
Ms Güdryn Schoeman (67) of the farm Vygeboom near Badplaas, had testified in court on Tuesday that, before the attack, she went to bed on the second floor of their home at about 21:00, while her husband slept on the first floor.
She later woke up when she smelled something burning. She got up, looked around the house and heard her husband snoring when she passed his room. She went to the kitchen and then returned to check on her husband, when two men attacked her in his room.
She said one of them covered her mouth with his hand when she tried to scream. According to Schoeman, her husband was unconscious at the time, but still alive.
“They started demanding cash and weapons. I denied I had any money or weapons, which was true. They hit me continuously with fists and one of them held a rusty knife to my neck.”
She claims the suspects pulled her pants down, but didn’t rape her. They then demanded her ATM card and cash limit to withdraw money. She said that was when Nyathi apparently took her husband’s jacket and both men apparently strangled him with it. They then loaded her into the back of her husband’s vehicle and drove off.
“Nyathi drove like a maniac and when we reached the T-junction at Machadodorp, I jumped out of the car and hurt my ankle.” She said two trucks drove past her while she stood in the middle of the road. The men came back for her and threw her down a three-metre embankment. They dragged her back to the N4 and the car. They drove to Belfast and when they got to an ATM, they asked for her pin.
In court she stated she was not sure if they got the money, but eventually they returned to the car and sped towards Carolina. “Suddenly I heard the front wheel hit gravel and the car overturned.” When she got out of the vehicle, she saw two police officers, who took her to hospital.
The two men remain in custody and the trial continues.
