Matheus Hamutenya
KOËS – Keetmanshoop Rural Constituency Councillor Elias !Kharuxab has pleaded with both farmers and inhabitants in the Koës district to continue to co-exist in peace as before.
This was after an elderly couple, Giel and Sarie Botma were murdered at farm Lindeshof in February this year, a murder that shocked and caused an uproar in the //Kharas Region, and drew a large number of farmers, mostly white, to the Keetmanshoop Magistrate’s Court during the three suspects’ first appearance, as they denounced the monstrosity and demanded for justice.
The three suspects, Julius Frederick Arndt, 40, Andries Afrikaner, 37, and Johannes Christiaan, 36, remain in police custody and !Kharuxab told New Era the murder had at some point created unfavourable situations where white farmers and local inhabitants confronted each other.
He said that while he understands farmers are at pain with the loss of the two elderly, this still has to be left in the hands of the courts and no one should take the law into their own hands.
!Kharuxab said about three weeks ago, a farmer almost hit a local who was on his donkey cart, with his car, as he accused the man of doing illegal things at one of the farms, and this resulted in an altercation and the explosive situation was only defused by a senior police officer.
“I am glad that after the meeting we had, we agreed to live together in peace, we must strive towards unity, harmony and team work, we cannot tolerate our peace that we fought so hard for to be destroyed in seconds,” he said.
He further urged farmers to respect their workers and not mistreat them because of the murder of the elderly couple, saying the law will handle those responsible and justice will prevail.
“We must not take the law into our own hands, justice will take its course, so let us not mistreat our workers because of what happened,” he noted.
Meanwhile the three suspects are set to make their third court appearance on June 21, 2018.