Coligny residents protest as farmers apply for bail

School pupils joined protesters outside the Coligny Magistrate’s Court on Friday as two farmers accused of murder applied for bail.

From inside the court‚ the group could be heard singing freedom songs.

Earlier on Friday‚ the court heard that the residents had signed a petition against the release of Pieter Doorewaard‚ 26‚ and Phillip Schutte‚ 34‚ who are accused of murdering Motlhomola Mosweu.

The men say he “accidentally” fell off the back of a bakkie while they were taking him to the police station for stealing sunflower from the field.

Their counsel told the court that the men did not lift a hand to the teenager.

In their affidavits read out to court on Friday‚ the men said they had spotted Mosweu and another teenager stealing sunflowers on their employer’s farm.

The men said they had managed to only apprehend Mosweu‚ whom they had ordered to get onto the back of the bakkie as they were taking him to the police station.

“We ordered him to get into the back of the bakkie with the intention to surrender him to the police and he complied‚” the men’s affidavit read.

“This is not an isolated case as we have taken several people who stole from the farm to the police and the police have never taken issue with the method we employ.”

According to both their counsel‚ the men said Mosweu had jumped out of the bakkie while it was in motion.

They claim to have gone to the police to report the incident after they noticed Mosweu was unconscious and not moving.

“On the arrival at the police station‚ we asked for help and described the scene to the police‚” the men said.

“A member of the police only requested our contact details and said they would take the matter further. At no stage were we asked to surrender vehicle.”