An elderly woman and her son were killed on Saturday, August 15, 2015, on their farm between Elliot and Indwe in the Eastern Cape.
Hermien Gouws (88) and her son Ruben Gouws (65) were killed on Saturday on their farm Pinevale outside the farm town Ida. Pieter Venter, Hermien’s son-in-law, told Maroela Media Ruben was attacked after 17:00 outside the farmhouse by three men when he was feeding the poultry.
According to Venter, the men already started stabbing Ruben with a sharp object outside the house after which they forced him into the house. “He had the keys with him and that’s how they gained access to the house.
My mother-in-law’s body was found in the dining room. She had been strangled with her scarf and her hands were tied.
Ruben’s body was found in the living room. He gave resistance and they brutally attacked and hurt him, as the whole house was full of blood. He was eventually strangled with a blanket. His hands were also tied.”
Venter said a farmer who was in Queenstown for the day, received a call at about 18:00 from one of his workers who was at a football game in the area. “He said there was trouble in Ida, specifically Pinevale. A man arrived at the football game, about 2km from the farm. He was covered in blood and had a gun with him. Farm workers arrested the man and called the police.”
According to Venter, another suspect was arrested at 22:00 while a third suspect was arrested Sunday morning at about 03:00.
Capt. Ursula Roelofse, police spokesperson, confirmed to Maroela Media three suspects were arrested on charges of murder and robbery. The suspects are aged 22, 23 and 24. She also confirmed that three guns and cash were stolen during the farm attack and were found in the suspects’ possession.
Ruben was formerly the principal of High School Ida. According to Venter, two of the suspects were former pupils at the school. “We also learned that two of the suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of a farm worker three months ago and that they were released on bail.” Capt. Roelofse could not confirm this.
Venter said his mother lived on the farm for 60 years, and his wife grew up there. “After my father-in-law died in 1996, Ruben, who worked as head of department at the Efata School for the Deaf in Mthatha, returned to Ida to live with his mother on the farm.”
According to Venter, the farming community and their workers, in cooperation with the police, arrested the suspects. Capt. Roelofse thanked the community for their assistance.
Source – Maroela Media
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