Sannieshof farmer charged with murder after shooting intruder

[Cardinal]

From Netwerk24

Die boer van Sannieshof in Noordwes wat glo ’n vermeende inbreker op sy plaas doodgeskiet het, word deur die staat van moord en die besit van ’n ongelisensieerde vuurwapen aangekla.

Sivenathi Gunya, woordvoerder van die nasionale vervolgingsgesag (NVG) in Noordwes, het die aanklagte teen Frederick Coetzee (66) bevestig en dat die saak Donderdag in die landdroshof in Sannieshof voorgekom het.

Hy het gesê die landdros het beslis dat Coetzee se saak Vrydag in die landdroshof in Delareyville vir borgtog-verrigtinge aangehoor moet word.

Die staat staan nie borgtog teen nie.

Christelle Theunissen, Coetzee se dogter, het by navraag net gesê dat “gemoedere hoog loop”.

Die voorval het Dinsdagoggend omstreeks 03:30 gebeur nadat Coetzee glo ’n venster hoor breek het, het kapt. Mpho Manyoba, polisiewoordvoerder in Noordwes, vroeër gesê. Coetzee het glo sy vuurwapen gaan haal voordat hy na bewering die vermeende inbreker in sy kombuis in die kop geskiet het. Hy is op die toneel dood.

A farmer from Sannieshof in North West, South Africa, Frederick Coetzee (66), has been charged with murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm after allegedly shooting and killing a suspected intruder in his house. The National Prosecuting Authority confirmed the charges and said the case appeared in the Sannieshof Magistrate's Court on Thursday. It is set to continue on Friday in Delareyville for a bail hearing, which the state is not opposing. According to police, the incident occurred around 3:30 AM on Tuesday when Coetzee reportedly heard a window break, fetched his firearm, and shot the intruder in the head in his kitchen. The intruder died at the scene. Coetzee’s daughter commented only that emotions are running high.

[Zuku]

"and shot the intruder in the head in his kitchen".

Following with interest. Will the "Castle Defense" prevail ?

[DaavG]

I hope the likes of Afriforum jump onto support him

[SSP]

Will the "Castle Defense" prevail ?

Not a thing here. Wish it was, but its not.

[zguy]

Sounds like the issue is the gun was unlicensed, that's why he is in shit creek without a paddle.

[SSP]

Sounds like the issue is the gun was unlicensed, that's why he is in shit creek without a paddle.

An unlicensed gun does not convert justifiable homicide into murder.

[MSW2]

Sounds like the issue is the gun was unlicensed, that's why he is in shit creek without a paddle.

Also depends on their definition of unlicensed - did he fail to renew or does he not have a license for it. I could not see from the one article I read. And then as SSP said, justifiable homicide vs murder... the whole story of if someone attacks me with an unlicensed firearm and I take it off him and shoot him with it - still equals sd.

[Cardinal]

Update

’n Boer van Sannieshof in Noordwes wat van moord aangekla word nadat hy ’n vermeende inbreker doodgeskiet het, is Vrydag op borgtog van R10 000 in die landdroshof in Delareyville vrygelaat.

Frederick (Org) Coetzee (66) het volgens kapt. Mpho Manyoba, polisiewoordvoerder in Noordwes, Dinsdag omstreeks 03:30 glo ’n venster van sy plaashuis hoor breek. Hy het sy vuurwapen gaan haal voordat hy die vermeende inbreker in sy kombuis in die kop geskiet het. Dié is op die toneel dood.

Sivenathi Gunya, woordvoerder van die Nasionale Vervolgingsgesag (NVG) in Noordwes, sê die saak is tot 10 Julie uitgestel vir verdere ondersoek.

Coetzee se borgvoorwaardes sluit in dat hy elke Vrydag tussen 06:00 en 18:00 by die Sannieshof-polisiestasie moet aanmeld. Hy moes ook sy paspoort aan die ondersoekbeampte oorhandig.

Die familie kon Vrydagmiddag nie dadelik vir kommentaar bereik word nie.

Naudé Pienaar, uitvoerende hoofbestuurder van Agri Noordwes, wat Vrydag in die hof was, sê hulle bevraagteken die nodigheid van Coetzee se inhegtenisneming en aanhouding, en hoe die hele voorval gehanteer is.

“Hy was drie dae lank in aanhouding. Org het op die plaas waar die voorval gebeur het, grootgeword. Hy woon al 40, 50 jaar daar. Hy is bekend in die gemeenskap en het ’n vaste adres.”

Volgens Gunya word Coetzee ook aangekla van die besit van ’n ongelisensieerde vuurwapen, maar volgens Pienaar het die aanklaer gesê daar is net een aanklag: moord.

“Daar is geen ander aanklagte teen hom of vorige veroordelings nie.”

Die staat het nie borgtog teengestaan nie.

Frederick (Org) Coetzee (66), a farmer from Sannieshof in North West, was released on R10,000 bail on Friday after being charged with murder for shooting and killing an intruder in his kitchen. According to police, Coetzee heard a window breaking around 03:30 on Tuesday, retrieved his firearm, and shot the intruder in the head. The intruder died on the scene.The case has been postponed to July 10 for further investigation. As part of his bail conditions, Coetzee must report to the Sannieshof police station every Friday between 06:00 and 18:00 and has handed over his passport to the investigating officer.
Naudé Pienaar, CEO of Agri North West, who was present in court, questioned the necessity of Coetzee’s arrest and detention. He stated: “He was in custody for three days. Org grew up on the farm where the incident happened. He’s lived there for 40 to 50 years, is well known in the community, and has a fixed address.”
Although the National Prosecuting Authority mentioned an additional charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm, Pienaar said the prosecutor confirmed that Coetzee faces only a murder charge and has no other charges or prior convictions. The state did not oppose bail.

[Tappets]

Hope it all works out for this guy. No mention if the intruder was armed though.

[A-R]

According to a friend, who is a long time serving SAPS officer and also a fire arm owner and dedicated sports shooter and hunter, it is not a bad thing to be charged with murder after any SD event you were involved in. (Whether arrest and detention was warranted is another matter.)

He says, if you are accused of murder, you go through the process, prove the necessity of SD, and eventually you should be acquitted. (Yes, lots of stress and $$ involved.) Then the matter is basically permanently resolved, since you can not be charged again for the same case.

If the investigating officer only does a judicial inquest and decides not to charge you, seeing that it was a clear cut case of SD, you can always at a later stage be charged. By then, time has lapsed and evidence has become vague, making it much more difficult to defend yourself in court.

Any legal opinion on this view?