Woman recovering from suspected skull fracture following Schoemanskloof farm attack

The wife of murdered livestock farmer Jakes Snyman is recovering from a suspected skull fracture and other wounds in a local hospital following a vicious attack at their farm house on Tuesday night, May 31.

Carien (48) and Jakes Snyman (57) were attacked between 21:00 and 22:00 by three suspects in the Koedoeshoek area in Schoemanskloof.

According to a provincial police spokesperson, Brig Selvy Mohlala, the couple had been inside their home when they heard noises coming from outside.

Mohlala said Jakes went to go investigate where the sounds were coming from and when he stepped outside, he was shot by one of the suspects.

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He said the farmer ran back into the house, but the suspects followed and shot at the door to gain entry to the home.

Once inside, the suspects tied up both Carien and Jakes and demanded the keys to the safe.

It is unclear whether he succumbed to his injuries before or after the suspects fled the scene.

Once Carien was tied up, they took her to the bathroom and proceeded to ransack the house, stealing an undisclosed amount of money before fleeing.

At some point, she managed to free herself. She sat with her husband’s body until the early hours of the morning. She eventually exited the house and flagged down a farmworker and the police were contacted on Wednesday, June 1.

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It is believed that Carien had been terrified that the intruders were still on the property and that is the reason why she only left the house the next morning.

The police arrived and found Jakes’ body in his lounge at around 07:00.

While Lowvelder was on the scene, the paramedic who declared him dead had said he had been found with a blanket covering his body. A source on the scene, who wished not to be named, said Carien had covered Jakes.

Mohlala had told the newspaper on Wednesday that Carien had not sustained physical injuries as a result of the attack, however a source close to the family said she is suspected to have suffered a fractured skull and a severed tendon in her arm and that she is in Rob Ferreria Hospital and will be undergoing an operation.

Today, June 2, Mohlala said the police on the scene had seen Carien bleeding from her ear, but that they could not determine her injuries as she was in shock.

The police have opened a case of armed robbery and murder. Mohlala said investigations are ongoing and no arrests have yet been made.