LIMPOPO – Police spokesperson Lt Col Moatshe Ngoepe says that six armed suspects, wearing balaclavas, attacked a farmer at his house in the Roosenekal Policing area, outside Groblersdal.
“They began shooting randomly, before they fleeing on foot. They took nothing and there were no injuries or fatalities,” he said.
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Police reacted swiftly with backup from the Saps Air Wing division and farmers and as a result, three suspects were arrested.
Ngoepe says one firearm with four rounds of ammunition was recovered during the arrest.
The arrested suspects aged 24, 27 and 32-years-old are from Praktiseer, Ga-Malekana and Riba Cross villages in the Burgersfort area and will appear before the Groblersdal Magistrates Court soon.
“They will face charges of attempted farm attack, attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition,” Ngoepe said.
The profiling of the suspects and the origin of the recovered firearm is still being determined through the ongoing investigations.
The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba, has commended the team of police officers, including the Air Wing division and the farmers who were involved in this matter, for reacting swiftly and arresting the suspects within a short space of time.
“We hope that this achievement will lead us to possible stability in farming communities in that area. The arrest of these criminals should send a clear message to all criminals who are still targeting farming communities, that our crime fighting machineries are up and running and as a result, we are going to deal with them mercilessly and without compromise,” General Ledwaba concluded.
