Brits police uncover shocking crime during routine patrol

Brits - A routine early morning patrol by the vigilant Assen police on Sunday 17 September 2023 took a dark turn in Kameeldrift along the R511 Road outside Brits. Officers, suspicious of a charcoal-coloured Nissan NP 200 bakkie, made a U-turn to pursue the vehicle. Their instincts proved tragically right.

Upon pulling over the vehicle at around 02:00, officers discovered the lifeless body of 45-year-old Dumisani Phakathi, concealed under plastic bags in the vehicle’s rear. This gruesome discovery led to the arrest of two men, Louis Coetzee (47) and Jaco Kemp (45), who futilely attempted to flee the scene.

“It was during the search that police made the harrowing find,” shared police spokesperson Amanda Funani, “Reports suggest that the suspects allegedly assaulted the man who was on their farm to fetch water”. 

Facing the gravity of their actions, the two men appeared before the Brits Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 19 September, charged with the murder of Phakathi. The court postponed their case to 26 September, awaiting a formal bail application.

Further twists in the case emerged when a third suspect, connected to this grim incident, was arrested in Brits on 19 September. This individual had their court hearing on 20 September. However, as of our latest update, the outcome of this appearance is yet to be confirmed.  

This harrowing event underscores the significance of our police’s daily patrols, their alertness potentially preventing further such tragedies. Our community now awaits further clarity as the judicial process unfolds.