Breaking News Update: Two convicted of farm massacre

THE man who had been accused of masterminding the massacre of eight people at farm Kareeboomvloer south of Rehoboth in March 2005 was acquitted on all charges today.

Windhoek resident Justus Christiaan (‘Shorty’) Erasmus (33) left the High Court in Windhoek as a free man shortly before 14h00, after hearing that Judge President Petrus Damaseb has found him not guilty on all of the charges he has been facing since the start of his trial on March 1 2007.Erasmus’s three co-accused in the trial remained behind as convicted men. Brothers Sylvester and Gavin Beukes (aged 26 and 30 respectively) were both found guilty on eight counts of murder and six additional charges, while Rehoboth area resident Stoney Neidel (34) was convicted on counts of theft and possession of firearms without a licence.The four men were on trial over the massacre of eight people at farm Kareeboomvloer between Rehoboth and Kalkrand during the weekend of March 4 to 5 2005.Erasmus’s parents, who were the owners of Kareeboomvloer, were among the victims killed at the farm. Sylvester Beukes admitted during the trial that he committed the murders at the farm. He went much further as well, claiming that ‘Shorty’ Erasmus had asked him to murder Erasmus’s parents.Erasmus vehemently denied these allegations during the trial.The delivery of the verdict started just after 12h00 today.The public gallery in the courtroom where the judgement was handed down was full when the Judge President started to read out his verdict by first listing the charges against the four men and summarising the prosecution’s allegations against them, before going on to sum up the testimony heard during the trial and analysing the evidence.* Read the full report on the judgement in The Namibian tomorrow.