Six suspects arrested after farm attack
A total of six male suspects, aged between 20 and 36 were arrested subsequent to a farm attack where the farm supervisor (53) was attacked and abducted on a farm in Blinkpan.
According to a media statement issued by the SAPS, the supervisor and his 16-year-old daughter arrived at the farm house on Wednesday where they noticed that the store room for the generator was wide open and that the generator was disconnected.
The man then left his daughter and went around the store room where he found two armed men who reportedly attacked him.
He somehow managed to signal his daughter to seek help, who safely made it to the house where she pressed the panic button.
The domestic worker and gardener were found in the house.
A security guard working in the farm was reportedly tied by the suspects during the incident but was not harmed.
After about 10 minutes the farm owner arrived at the farm house only to discover that the supervisor was abducted by the suspects who fled with his vehicle.
The police and other role players were alerted about the ordeal and one of the residents who also heard about it, met with the victim’s vehicle driven by the suspects on the Pullenshope gravel road.
He then turned around and gave chase until the T-Junction on the R35 (Middelburg/Bethal) Road.
The suspects lost control of the vehicle and came to a halt. Two suspects were then apprehended and the supervisor was found at the back of the vehicle with head injuries after being assaulted with a rifle butt.
Police also arrived at the scene and few moments later, a truck as well as a white Nissan sedan emerged from Pullenshope gravel road and were stopped by the members.
Three occupants were searched and questioned and it was discovered that they were in cahoots with the two suspects who were apprehended. Police also established that the suspects were planning to steal mielie seeds from the farm.
The preliminary probe has also revealed the men are from Zimbabwe and police are working with the Department of Home Affairs to ascertain their status in the country.
All the five suspects were arrested.
Further investigation lead to the arrest the security guard who was found tied up on the farm after it was established was that he was working together with the rest of the suspects who staged the robbery at the farm.
The six suspects are facing charges including farm attack, house robbery, possession of an unlicensed firearm and more charges could be added against them as the probe continues.
They are expected to appear in the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
