Pretoria - Two robbers who managed to saw through the bars of their holding cells at the Middelburg magistrate’s court during a lunch break and then simply walked out of an unlocked door to the parking area, will cost the taxpayer R2.2-million in damages.
This is after the robbers attacked an elderly couple about a week later on their farm near Middelburg. The man was hit 22 times on the head with a hammer and nearly died. He also lost his finger and his ear was ripped from his head during the attack.
The woman was gang raped after she was abducted by the pair. She also suffered several blows and kicks to her body.
The couple, who cannot be identified as the woman was raped, blamed the attack on the police. They said that if the SAPS did not leave the holding cells unattended on December 1, 2009, they would not have been attacked by the two escapees.
They initially claimed R10-million in damages from the Minister of Police in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria following their six hour ordeal. The minister accepted 100% liability for the attack, which was made possible due to the negligence of the SAPS who did not guard the cells.
The court heard that late afternoon on December 13, 2009, a storm broke out on the farm and the power subsequently went off. The husband was outside, trying to stop the water from flowing into the house.
His wife, who was inside, could not see him, but she heard a scream from outside.
At that stage the husband felt a blow to his head , followed by more blows, before he lost consciousness.
The robbers went into the house and attacked the woman in the laundry room. They demanded guns and money and walked around the house with her, while holding a knife to her throat.
They later forced her into the couple’s bakkie and gang raped her at a deserted spot near the farm. She was later pushed out of the moving car and had to walk for about 7km’s to the nearest house, while naked.
The couple were later reunited in hospital.
Pretoria News