Bullens’ attackers guilty
When the state prosecutor asked them if they had any remorse for their actions, they replied that they had none because they weren’t there and did not do it.
LYDENBURG – The six men accused of brutally attacking the Bullen couple on their farm Doornhoek in the Badfontein district on September 18, 2015, have been found guilty on all charges. They again appeared in Lydenburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Christopher Fannie Mokwena (30), Mpho Trumpet Malibane (30), Matthews Letswalo (28), Bennet Steven Mashele (27), Stanley Mangwale (46) and Thapelo Fannie Ntimane (27) were found guilty of attempted murder, robbery with aggravated circumstances and possession of an unlicensed firearm – all schedule-six offences.
https://steelburgernews.co.za/194999/protest-against-bail-outside-court/
Malibane was also found guilty of escaping from lawful custody. He tried to run away from police officers in 2016. He allegedly pushed one of the officers out of the way after a court appearance and made a run for it from the police station to the Dorps River. He became trapped in the riverbed and was once again apprehended. Estelle Bullen was tortured with a hot iron during the attack and she and her husband, Allen were assaulted.
The couple was robbed of cash, computers, cellphones and firearms. The suspects were arrogant when they entered the docks on Tuesday. They joked and laughed. Ntimane entered the court separately with his feet bound in chains. He had previously been found guilty of eight other charges, including house robbery and attempted murder.
https://steelburgernews.co.za/191921/farm-attack-suspects-to-appear-in-court/
Magistrate Naomi Engelbrecht of Mbombela said it was clear that the attack was instrumental in planning. “Information provided could not have been given by any random person. The information presented before the court was taken into evidence and there was a clear amount of planning before the attack took place. Having considered all the facts, the court is satisfied with all the evidence provided and the state proved beyond a reasonable doubt the involvement of the accused,” stated Engelbrecht.
Throughout the court proceedings, the accused denied their involvement in the crime and said they did not know each other before their arrest. When the state prosecutor asked them if they had any remorse for their actions, they replied that they had none because they weren’t there and did not do it. When asked whether they felt remorse for the injuries the couple sustained, they were also adamant that they were not involved in the attack.
Their next court appearance will be on September 4 for possible sentencing.
