Is this justice? Trial of 7 accused in 2017 farm murder did not start yet

Crime Correspondent

Is this justice? Trial of 7 accused in 2017 farm murder did not start yet
Is this justice? Trial of 7 accused in 2017 farm murder did not start yet

Seven black farm attackers in a farm murder case and attempted farm murder in the Kleinfontein area of North West are playing the system and dragging the case out endlessly and the Legal Aid Board is also to blame.

The accused are in custody for attempted murder by shooting and wounding farmer Hennie Eksteen on 29 June 2017 on his farm and shooting farmer Dries Botha 7 times on 4 July 2017.

Both incidents happened in the same area.

The case was previously postponed several times after the Legal Aid Board had to appoint new lawyers, for the account of taxpayers of course, after the accused began to point fingers at each other.

Two of the accused escaped out of the Hartbeespoort police cells in Dec 2018, they were later re-arrested.
Eventually the magistrate postponed the case to 4,17 and 20 February this year for trial but on 4 February only one attorney from the Legal Aid Board showed up.

The case was postponed to 17 February but then Adv Naas de Jager, representing 4 accused, announced that he is withdrawing because one of the accused, Caiphus Shilenge, is changing his story the whole time.
The magistrate in the matter postponed the case again pending the appearance of the head of the Legal Aid Board in North West in front of the Court to explain the situation.

It is uncertain when the matter will now be tried as the Legal Aid Board head in the province must appear before Court before anything can be decided.

Read about more farm attacks here

South Africa Today – South Africa News

North West farmer attacked by six armed suspects

SOURCECrime Correspondent