UPDATE: Police arrest Bethal farmer for murder
Farmer in the Bethal area will soon appear in court.
UPDATE
The farmer, Joseph Jan Shabangu (49), will appear before the Bethal Magistrate’s Court on April 5 for formal bail application.
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A Bethal farmer (48) was arrested on March 31 after he allegedly shot and killed a 35-year-old man who was hunting on his farm illegally.
According to Colonel Donald Mdhluli, spokesperson for the provincial police commissioner in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela, strongly condemned this incident.
The victim and a friend were allegedly hunting on the farm when shots were fired at about 08:30.
The friend escaped unharmed.
When the Bethal Police arrived at the farm, they found the body of the victim. Medical personnel certified the man dead on the scene.
The officers found the farmer in possession of a firearm suspected to have been used in the shooting.
They also found three empty cartridges at the scene.
The farmer was arrested and appeared in the Bethal Magistrate’s court on April 2.
The police took the firearm for ballistic tests.
Manamela said he appreciated the swift response by the police.
