Brendin Horner murder trail must shine spotlight on possible police involvement in crime

18 November 2021

The murder trial of Brendin Horner is unfolding against the backdrop of outright allegations of police involvement in livestock theft syndicates in the Free State, so the spotlight is expected to fall on that issue during the trial as well as on the issue of the police's thoroughness in investigating the murder.

Horner was murdered near a farm gate in the Paul Roux district on 1 October last year.

It is unacceptable that after an entire year, the police investigation has still not succeeded in directly linking the two main suspects, Sekola Matlaletsa (45) and Sekwetje Mahlamba (33), with the murder on Horner – particularly in light of earlier media reports that one of the men had indeed confessed to the murder.

It is equally disturbing that a state witness, Mr Boy Khambule, is now denying the contents of a statement in which he implicated the two suspects in the murder.

Yesterday, evidence was given that no DNA samples collected at the crime scene nor from various blood-stained pieces of clothing belonging to Mahlamba en Matlaletsa link them to the crime.

After the murder on Horner, farmers in the area submitted information – known to the leader of the FF Plus (Dr Pieter Groenewald) – to the police that links various senior police officers to crime syndicates operating in the Free State.

According to these farmers, the same information had been submitted to The Hawks quite a while ago, but nothing came of it. This claim must also be thoroughly investigated and if it is found to be true, the actions of the relevant officials to whom the information was submitted must also come under the microscope.

According to the evidence provided in court, the DNA of three unknown individuals was found at the crime scene. These individuals must be tracked down and prosecuted. That is what the police ought to focus on now.

Due to the serious nature of the allegations of police involvement in the Horner murder, it is of the utmost importance that all questions are answered and that the public is reassured that the case was indeed properly and thoroughly investigated.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 18 November 2021