Coligny - If the two farmers accused of killing a teenager in Coligny, North West, are released on bail there would be public violence, a police officer said on Friday.
Colonel Johannes Serfontein, a commander at the Mahikeng cluster, told the court that, according to information received by police, members of the community had vowed to continue with public violence should the accused be released on bail.
Serfontein was testifying in the bail hearing of Pieter Doorewaard, 26, and Philip Schutte, 34 who are facing murder charges following the death of Matlhomola Mosweu on April 20. The men claim that they had caught Mosweu, 16, stealing sunflowers and, as they were driving him to the local police station in their bakkie, he had jumped off and broken his neck.
Mosweu's death sparked riots in the town last week.
Serfontein told the court that the riots would continue. "We also heard there would be burning of vehicles and houses. It will also include looting," he said under the cross-examination by defence attorney Hennie Du Plessis.
He also read out a petition which was handed to him by prosecutor Ketheni Mudau. The petition was set up by members of the community opposing bail.