Bail Denied for Suspect in Vaal Triangle Farmer's Murder

In what has sent shockwaves through the local community, Frederick Pieter Jacobus Botha, a 42-year-old man accused of the premeditated murder of a 31-year-old farmer, Christiaan van Tonder, was denied bail. The incident happened in the Vaal Triangle area, and according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, Botha is also accused of livestock theft worth R293,000 following the murder.

Botha is believed to have purchased 31 cattle from van Tonder before requesting a lift to finalize the payment for the livestock. The pair drove to a remote area near Theoville plots, Barrage in Vanderbijlpark, where Botha allegedly shot and killed van Tonder in his vehicle.

The murder took place on the 29th of November 2021 and was reported to the police on the same day by the local neighborhood watch, who discovered the body. Botha's arrest in August, nearly two years after the murder, shocked the local community,

During the bail hearing, Botha asked for bail of R5,000. However, the State argued against it, citing fears that he could interfere with witnesses. Botha's request was denied by Magistrate Mila Kgobane, who sided with the State, asserting they presented a prima facie case against the accused. Kgobane stated that Botha offered no exceptional circumstances warranting his release on bail.

The case will be back in court on the 30th of October.