Mpumalanga police have made a breakthrough in the murder of farmer Jannie Weideman after it arrested five suspects and theft of personal belongings.
The men were expected to appear at the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court in connection with the December 2023 incident.
Weideman's body was found in the living room by a neighbour after his concerned wife, who was away visiting a family member in Middleburg, could not reach him on his phone.
A multitask team including the Mpumalanga Tactical Response Team arrested three suspects on Monday, and two additional suspects on Tuesday.
According to the provincial spokesperson Donald Mdhluli during the farm attack, a safe for a rifle as well as jewellery worth more than R300 000 and a Toyota Hilux were stolen.
“Though the vehicle was found abandoned in Breyten the following day, the battery was missing. However, when arresting the suspects, the battery suspected to have been stolen from the bakkie during the farm attack, was found in possession of one of the suspects,” said Mdhluli.
The police said they continued with the investigation which led to the recovery of three firearms which were reportedly stolen during the farm attack.
An extra firearm that was reported stolen in Piet Retief in May 2022 was also discovered.
There is also an ongoing investigation to establish if the recovered firearm, reportedly stolen in Piet Retief, was not used during the farm attack.
As a result, two more suspects, Vusumuzi Mandlazi and Robert Shabalala, were arrested for illegal possession of firearms with ammunition.
They appeared on January 10 and was postponed to January 15.
“Police cannot rule out possibilities of adding more charges in connection with the farm attack against the two suspects pending further investigation,” said Mdhluli,
Provincial police commissioner Semakaleng Daphney Manamela commended police who worked around the clock, arrested suspects and recovered some of the stolen goods.