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Police Minister Bheki Cele visited the family of 21-year-old Brendin Horner, who was killed earlier this month, apparently by cattle thieves.
FILE: Police Minister Bheki Cele releases first quarter crime statistics for 2020/2021 at a press conference on August 14, 2020. Image: GCIS
BELÉN – Police Minister Bheki Cele said it was unacceptable on the part of the police that a man who had been arrested 16 times could allegedly kill a farmer in Paul Roux in the Free State.
Cele visited the family of 21-year-old Brendin Horner, who was killed earlier this month, apparently by cattle thieves.
Tensions have been high in the Free State city, with concerns about a lack of policing and police colluding with criminals.
Horner’s body was found tied to a post with a rope around his neck earlier this month.
After his meeting with the Horner family, Minister Cele revealed that one of the suspects in the murder had several run-ins with the law.
“Of the 16 times he has been arrested, he was found guilty four times and nine of them would have been for his participation in the theft of shares, others for theft and other minor things.”
After this meeting, Cele moved to the Mitz Agricultural Union hall on the outskirts of Bethlehem to address a room full of local farmers.
“One specific area here is that you don’t trust the police. I heard the response that you’ve been reporting that you have a problem with the police. This is the first time I’ve heard most of you say ‘ha’ which means something it exists, so we’ll have to work on it. “
Cele said she would be back in three weeks with a way forward for the Senekal, Bethlehem and Paul Roux communities.
As tensions remain high in the Free State town of Senekal, Cele said he was concerned about allegations that some police officers were working with criminals.
Cele and the Minister of State Security, Ayanda Dlodlo, visited the agricultural town after some members of the community were unleashed after Horner’s murder.
An angry group of community members damaged state property and set a police vehicle on fire during the court appearance of two suspects last week.
Earlier Tuesday, the court denied farmer Andre Pienaar bail for his alleged involvement in setting fire to the police van and firing shots.
Cele said it was unacceptable that the police, who were supposed to respect the law, were breaking it.
“There are allegations that our own police are involved in criminal activity here. There is a bad relationship of affairs … Schippers can explain that there was a theft of police firearms against him for any reason, but he also says that of Every 10 policemen there are two bad policemen and the rest will be good. “
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