Limpopo police commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has welcomed the swift arrest of a 28-year-old man in connection with a fatal farm attack near Baltimore in the Tolwe area over the weekend.

Polokwane Review reports that the incident, which happened on Saturday, claimed the life of farmer Attie Mahne (77).

Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the suspect was arrested in the early hours this morning following an intensive investigation and multi-disciplinary operation.

“The arrest was the result of a co-ordinated effort involving the Provincial Murder and Robbery Unit, Tolwe Detectives, Bosveld Misdaad Ondersoeke, and private security company Bosveld Plaasbeveiliging Security,” he said.

Details of the attack

The brutal incident unfolded when Mahne left his farmhouse to check on his cattle.

“Two unknown male suspects allegedly entered the house and tied up his wife at knifepoint. When Mahne returned, the intruders confronted [him], tied him up, and severely assaulted him before fleeing the scene with a firearm and an undisclosed amount of cash,” Ledwaba said.

Mahne’s wife managed to free herself and alerted the farm watch.

Police and neighbouring farmers responded immediately, finding Mahne still tied up and unconscious. Emergency Medical Services declared him dead at the scene.

The suspect will appear in the Senwabarwana Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, while the search for the second suspect continues.

Hadebe praised the collaborative efforts, stating, ‘this swift arrest is a demonstration of our commitment to fighting violent crime, especially those targeting our rural communities’.

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