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Farmers 'frustrated by theft'
17/04/2008 19:13 - (SA)
Thabisile Khoza
Komatipoort - Only three of five farmers have been positively linked to the murder of a man accused of stealing water pipes on Monday.
Police arrested five farmers on Monday who own small plots of land in Sibayeni village near the Mozambican border.
Two were released after several hours of questioning at the Tonga police station on Tuesday night.
The other three were charged with murder.
They were released on R2 000 bail each when they appeared in the Tonga magistrate's court on Wednesday.
The case was postponed to May 28 for further investigation.
Christopher Shabangu, Mavulisango Ngwenya and Pesane Lukhele were not asked to plead.
The victim, David Mkhatshwa, 40, of KaMaqhekeza, was beaten to death when he was caught carrying water pipes in the area on Monday, said Tonga police spokesperson Constable Mzwandile Nyambi on Thursday.
Mkhatshwa was beaten unconscious and then someone called the police to arrest him.
Police took him to Tonga Hospital but he died before he got there.
"We expect to arrest more farmers and community members in connection with this case," said Nyami.
Nyambi said local farmers were frustrated by a recent increase in thefts.
He said about 60 cases involving theft of copper wire, cables, sprinkler heads and water pipes had been reported at the station since January.
- African Eye
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