Bail hearing for Els accused to continue

WHILE a prominent city resident, Piet Els, remains in a stable condition in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Gariep Mediclinic hospital, the three suspects who are accused of attacking the elderly businessman and his partner earlier this year, will return to the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court this week when their bail application is scheduled to continue.

The three accused - Morapedi Rankali, Motlalentwe Qhautse and Thuso Ramolo - made another brief appearance on charges of housebreaking, robbery, rape and contravening the Immigration Act last week, when the continuation of their formal bail application was postponed until Wednesday.

Their arrests followed an incident which took place in the early morning hours of January 24, when Els and his partner were viciously attacked and tortured by four men who forced their way into the bedroom of Els’ farmhouse.

It is alleged that the attackers took firearms, jewellery, cash and cellphones before fleeing the scene in the farmer’s white Mercedes Benz, which was later found abandoned next to the R31 road to Barkly West.

Spokesperson for the Gariep Mediclinic, Denise Coetzee, confirmed that Els was still a patient at the hospital.