An additional charge of assault has been added to the list of grievous charges against Lynette Brummer (64), the main accused in the attempted murder, abuse, assault grievous bodily harm (GBH), and kidnapping case involving a 81-year-old woman at a frail care home in Welkom.
On Wednesday, 6 August, Brummer again appeared in the Welkom Magistrate’s Court (B Court). According to testimony before court, Brummer allegedly assaulted the frail 81-year-old victim, who weighs a mere 40kg, on a separate occasion; there is a voice note in which Brummer admits to the daughter of the victim that she slapped her mother.
Mojalefa Senokoatse, spokesperson for the NPA confirms that the accused appeared in court on a charge of common assault.
Senokoatse says the incident took place on 3 November 2024 at an old age home, where the victim resides. The matter was reported to the police by the victim’s daughter, who opened the case.
“The case has been postponed to 18 September for possible joinder with the other pending matter. The accused was released on a Section 496 warning and remains out on warning pending her next court appearance.”
The Welkom Magistrates’ Court has granted Lynette Brummer, accused number one, R5 000 bail, and the other accused bail of R1 000 each.
Brummer was granted bail under strict terms. She may not go near the Silver Village Assisted Living Facility in Welkom, she may not interfere with, intimidate, or have contact with witnesses, she may not tamper with evidence or approach the victim in any way, and she must distance herself and keep at least a 100m radius from the centre. Upon paying bail, Brummer had six hours to hand in her passport. It was a concern of the state that she has a valid passport and that her son-in-law works and lives in America. Brummer may not apply for a new passport when the existing one expires in 2026.
The other five accused are: Anna Fourie (73), Nomsa Ngcongwane (56), Prudence Majorobella (35), Mofolo Ntswaki (30) and Puseleletso Mola (33). Vista understands that the employment of all six accused has been terminated.
The six accused have all been charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, and assault in a GBH case involving a frail 81-year-old victim who weighs a mere 40kg. They are also facing charges under the Older Persons Act 13 of 2006. The court heard that a further charge of torture would be added.
The first four accused were arrested on 9 July, and two additional arrests followed.
Vista previously reported about the gruesome acts of cruelty and depravity that have come to light following the discovery of video camera footage.
The video footage and photographs depict the extreme verbal, mental, and physical abuse to which the elderly woman was subjected.
She was no match for the attendants at her bedside – sometimes up to four women at a time. The elderly woman was physically subdued and restrained with duct tape. Her mouth and hands were bound so that she could not move.
The emotional scenes playing out in the video are exacerbated by the photos of extremely bruised hands, bleeding lips from the duct tape, and bruises, scratches, and scrapes to the face.
