In the early hours of November 20, Greytown police received a report of a house robbery and murder on a farm at Seven Oaks. On arrival at the scene they found the body of Hans Jurie Venter, 84. l SUPPLIED
Durban — Two suspects were killed and six others were arrested after a shoot-out with law enforcement following a recent farm robbery and murder in KwaZulu-Natal.
Magma Security and Investigations said a spate of house robberies had been occurring in the Bishopstowe, Wartburg, New Hanover and Dalton areas in the past few months.
“One of these being a recent farm attack in the Seven Oaks area near Greytown where an elderly couple were brutally tortured in the early hours of Sunday morning November 20, resulting in the death of the 84-year-old man due to his injuries,” Magma said.
On Monday, members from Magma Security and Investigations received information of a possible farm attack that was to take place in the Bulwer area by the same group of suspects involved in the above-mentioned case.
Police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said the victim, Hans Jurie Venter, was suffocated and strangled to death. Charges of murder and robbery were opened for investigation.
Ngcobo said that in the early hours of Tuesday, Greytown police, the Pietermaritzburg K9 Unit and the Pietermaritzburg Trio Task Team and Magma Security and Investigations embarked on an intelligence operation after they received information on the whereabouts of the suspects allegedly involved in the murder and robbery.
“They proceeded to the Boston area where they spotted the eight suspects travelling in two vehicles towards Impendle. When confronted the armed men opened fire at police officers and a shoot-out ensued during the high-speed chase. Two suspects were fatally wounded while six, aged between 22 and 38 years, were arrested for murder, robbery and attempted murder,” Ngcobo said.
“Two flat-screen televisions, a cellphone and jewellery belonging to Venter were recovered, as were a firearm, knives, a crowbar, gloves and balaclavas. The suspects will also be profiled to check if they are linked to other serious and violent cases reported in Greytown and surrounding areas.”
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