Two men were certified dead after police arrived in a gruesome scene and found two bodies lying in a pool of blood at Geluksdal farm, Gonubie in East London on the morning of 30 November 2019.
It is alleged that the farm owner, a 45 year old male was with his friend and his wife and two children as they resided temporarily with the farm owner on his farm. They were socializing together in the early hours of the morning when an argument ensued.
The argument escalated into a physical fight which moved outside the house onto the deck. The farm owner assaulted this 40 years old male friend with his fists and a rifle but resulting in the victim sustaining severe head injuries.
When the police arrived they found him lying on his back with numerous head injuries and already passed on.
Numerous phone calls were made by the farm owner requesting help from neighboring farmers, who in turn notified Bluewater and Gonubie SAPS. Warrant Officer Odendaal from Bluewater SAPS responded and was the first person to arrive at the scene. He entered the residence and the farm owner allegedly said to him that “nobody is going to leave the farm premises today”. At that stage the farm owner had taken the friends’ children hostage and locked them in the bathroom.
He then requested the mother to return to the house as she was hiding outside fearing for her life. Constable Bam from Gonubie SAPS also arrived at the scene. It is alleged that the farm owner then locked the door and instructed the police to place their firearms on the table. They did not comply with his instruction.
W/O Odendaal interviewed the farm owner while Constable Bam went to the bathroom where he found the two boys aged two weeks and another one two years hidden in the bath. Constable Bam rescued both children out of the house and handed them over to the mother.
While Constable Bam was outside the farm, owner locked and attacked W/O Odendaal from behind with fists and attempted to disarm W/O Odendaal. During the struggle one shot went off and hit the floor. W/O Odendaal forced him away from him but he tried to attack W/O Odendaal again.
W/O Odendaal warned him, but without hesitation he attacked again. W/O Odendaal fired one shot from his firearm in self-defense and during struggle the bullet from his service pistol entered underneath the left arm and fatally wounded the attacker.
W/O Odendaal was also injured as follows, fractured nose, jaw and face. He is currently receiving medical attention.
All necessary role-players including IPID were summoned to the crime scene and the paramedics declared the farmer and his attacked friend both dead. Firearms and lot of ammunition including a police flag was confiscated from the scene and booked at Gonubie Police Station.
East London Station Commander Brigadier Mxolisi Mqotyana commended the members for their bravery for savings three innocent lives and by also ensuring their safety by acting swiftly in such an incident of a hostage.
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