Police spokesperson, Sabata Mokgwabone, says three men are believed to have been involved in the attack on Schalk Coetzee and his wife, Lana, who were brutally assaulted and robbed on Saturday morning. 

According to Mokgwabone, Schalk was also tortured with boiling water and he was tied up. The attackers fled with the couple's two cell phones, a bank card, and their vehicle. A neighbour became suspicious and went to the couple's farmhouse after which police were alerted to the scene. He says neigbouring police stations were also alerted. OFM News' Christal-Lize Muller spoke to Mokgwabone...

See PODCAST below

Neighbourhood and farm watches, as well as community members, assisted the police in the chase. During the course of the day at around 13:00 the suspected stolen vehicle was stopped in Schweizer-Reneke at a Police Vehicle Control Point (VCP). The suspects managed to get away in the vehicle taking the chase in the direction of the Ipelegeng township where they abandoned the vehicle along the way and fled on foot. 

He says the police's air wing also assisted in the search for the suspects. During the chase one of the suspects ran towards a farmer who was part of the chase assisting police. The farmer shot and injured the suspect, who was then arrested. 

Mokgwabone says the reason the police only managed to arrest one of the suspect's is because of a large number of people that were present. There was commotion and as a result police were not able to see who was in the suspected stolen car, apart from the one suspect that is in custody. 

He adds two people were taken in by police for questioning and further developments on whether they are going to be charged for their involvement in the attack on the couple, will be communicated to the media. 

Police managed to recover the suspected stolen vehicle and a firearm that was allegedly used during the crime. The injured suspect who are expected to appear in the Schweizer-Reneke Magistrate's Court today will be appearing in absentia if he is not fully recovered and fit to be in court, says Mokgwabone. The suspect faces charges of the possession of suspected stolen property and the illegal possession of a firearm. These are secondary charges. 

According to information, the couple is being treated in a hospital.

OFM News