Cape Town - A Malmesbury farmer has been released on R2 000 bail after he was arrested for allegedly attacking a 13-year-old boy with a rifle for relieving himself in the farmer’s vineyard.
The owner of the Die Slot farm and Babylon’s Peak Wine Farm, Stephan Basson, made his first appearance in the Malmesbury Magistrate’s Court yesterday for the alleged assault on Keanan Lambrecht.
Keanan’s mother, Carmelita Lambrecht, 46, said the Grade 7 learner at the Anne Pienaar Primary School was smacked in the face with a rifle during the incident on Saturday.
She said the boy had been walking past the vineyard when he needed to relieve himself.
“Keanan is just 13 and was walking past the farm to his aunty’s house. He needed to make a number two and decided to relieve himself in the vineyard and that is when the farm owner came. He accused Keanan of stealing his pipes or taps and hit him with the rifle in his face and you can still see the mark.
“The farm is exposed to anyone walking past and the druggies are known for stealing taps and other metal items from everywhere, not just the farms. He made a false accusation and attacked a child with a firearm for no reason, so we opened a case against him. My son is very traumatised because he just needed a toilet and was far from one.”
Police spokesperson Anelisiwe Manyana confirmed the case.
“Malmesbury police opened a case of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH) following an incident on Saturday morning.”
Billy Claasen, of the Rural and Farmworkers Development Organisation, was at court and said he was disappointed that Basson’s release was not opposed.
“He was released on R2000 bail and the case postponed to December 4. I feel very disappointed that he got bail and that the State did not oppose it. What happened there amounted to attempted murder as he used a firearm.”
Basson was contacted for comment, but did not respond.