Mpumalanga farm murder: Suspects arrested within 24 hours
Police wasted no time apprehending two suspects who were wanted in connection with a farm attack in which one woman was murdered and another seriously injured.
Two suspects believed to be involved in the farm attack that led to the death of a domestic worker and the torture of another woman were arrested in less than 24 hours.
The attack took place at Finsbury Smallholdings outside Lydenburg in Mpumalanga on Monday.
The suspects’ arrests were confirmed by the Lydenburg SAPS.
According to spokesperson Sergeant Cave Dilebo, two Mozambican nationals were apprehended during a joint operation between Lydenburg’s Detective Services, Forensic Crime Unit, Nelspruit Provincial Detectives and Lydenburg Bushveld Crime Investigations.
One of the suspects was apprehended in Mandela Village outside town and the other in the Lydenburg CBD.
Dilebo says two women, Simone van Niekerk (31) and Vinolia Sedibe (41), were alone in the house when the attack took place.
He says Van Niekerk, who recounted the events, stated that the suspect, who was later identified as a farm employee from Mozambique, and his accomplice, held her and Sedibe hostage. They reportedly forced Van Niekerk to open her safe, threatening to rape her if she did not comply.
“The safe, however, contained no money, only firearms, which were left behind. The suspects instead took money belonging to Van Niekerk.
“The situation escalated when the suspects allegedly took Sedibe into the nearby bushes. She was later found strangled, with her hands tied behind her back with cable ties. Emergency medical services attended the scene and declared Sedibe dead,” Dilebo told Lowvelder.
Van Niekerk suffered injuries inflicted by a panga during the ordeal.
The police and the Local Criminal Record Centre processed the scene, and Sedibe’s body was transported to the Lydenburg State Mortuary by a pathologist.
The attack has left the community reeling and raised serious concerns about safety in rural areas, especially at this time of the year.
Dilebo says the suspects will appear in court after all the necessary statements, identity parade and crime formalities have been concluded.
He says that due to the nature of this serious crime, the suspects might not appear in court until all investigations have been completed.
“They will, however, remain in police custody until their first court appearance.”
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