The peaceful setting of Breeland Farm in Rawsonville would on this recent Sunday, 23 January, become the backdrop for a murder case that reportedly saw an 89-year old woman bludgeoned to death by a chair. The accused? A 15-year-old boy who was reportedly discovered by police while he hid in a cupboard in the home.
Early Sunday afternoon at her home, Elizabeth Lee was met with an intruder. The burglar door was opened, allowing for entry when the elderly lady approached the trespasser, according to the police.
FARM MURDER: 2022/01/23, Breede Valley, WC. Elderly female victim beaten to death with a chair. 1 suspect arrested. @afriforum pic.twitter.com/k89HSkE15m
— Jacques Broodryk (@JacquesBroodryk) January 23, 2022
“He used a chair to assault the woman,” confirmed Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi.
Lee was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel, as News24 reports.
The 15-year-old accused appeared in the Worcester Magistrate’s Court thereafter, but some details surrounding the case are still far and few in between. Community members have stated the reports and what they observed differ, according to social media postings. The case has been postponed to 8 February.
This follows another farm attack that left the country shocked after farm attackers tried to push a six-year-old child into an oven as part of leverage to hand money over, as The South African reported.
Farm killings, especially in the Western Cape are a topic shrouded in fear given their frequency. Last year, hundreds of farmers all around the Western Cape gathered at Parliament to protest against the increase in the killings, handing over a memorandum to the government in hopes of spurring action. A year later and rural communities are still faced with these crimes.
According to the civil rights organisation Action Society, beyond dealing with the consequences, “the root causes of why the youth are involved in these horrific crimes” needs to be addressed.
WATCH: Farmers march against murders in Cape Town
Picture: Pexels