The quiet town, traditionally known for its picturesque scenes, English pubs and trout fishing, made international headlines when British expat Sue Howarth and her husband Robert Lynn, were attacked on their farm. Sue was brutally murdered.

“Don’t be afraid my darling” – the horror of a farm attack

Robert survived the ordeal.

Three men appeared in court for Mrs Howarth’s murder and the attack on her husband Robert. They remain in custody and will appear in court again in June.

Months after the murder, a video of a brutal fight outside a well known pub surfaced. One of the victims, who was attacked by a mob and sustained a nasty gash on the forehead, claimed that the police were present but failed to bring the situation under control.

Another eyewitness added his voice to that of the first victim. He too questioned the Dullstroom police’s capability of handling the situation, stating that he rescued a female police officer who was being assaulted, by spraying her assailants with pepper spray.

Attack outside Dullstroom pub caught on camera

Rumours of the fight continuing at other places and even of someone being stabbed in the process, could not be confirmed.

Three men were eventually arrested with the help of civilians. They have since been released on bail.
Then, almost as an exclamation mark that something was amiss, the Dullstroom police’s detective unit went up in flames.

A source claims that there were definite signs of a break-in before everything was reduced to ashes.

The signs include a door that was kicked in as well as a steel cabinet, supposed to safeguard investigation dockets, lying on the floor, toppled over with drawers unlocked and pulled open.

The source has supplied www.mobserver.co.za with photos showing the damage to the door.

Brig. Leonard Hlathi, provincial police spokesperson, has confirmed that police are investigating a case of arson.

He also said that although dockets might have been destroyed, the police do have a backup system.

The burning question, pardon the pun, is where the Dullstroom police’s evidence store is.

Five arrested for Dullstroom murder

Key forensic evidence like bloody clothing carrying valuable DNA, or things like bullet casings, in a murder case, cannot be backed up. Was this type of evidence being stored in the building that was destroyed by the fire or has it been sent for safekeeping somewhere else?