A shocked atmosphere descended over the Welkom Magistrate’s Court during the bail application of the women accused of torturing and viciously assaulting a frail 81-year-old woman at the Silver Village – Assisted Living Facility in Welkom.
Warrant Officer Anje Tait, the investigating officer, took to the stand yesterday and told the court of the scenes she had observed in a video that captured the assault.
She described severe verbal abuse and scoldings that accused number 1, Lynette Brummer, had directed at the frail victim, who only weighs 40 kg. She described how Brummer bound the victim’s hands with duct tape and how she had wound the tape repeatedly around the victim’s head to quieten her cries and screams.
“You can scream, no-one can hear you.”
Tait says the employees at the old age home were aware of the camera in the victim’s room. It was in plain sight. Brummer (accused number 1) knew of the camera and she knew she was being filmed. There are more than 30 videos that have been made available to the court.
The four accused were arrested on Wednesday 9 July, and two additional arrests followed on Monday 14 July.
The accused are Lynette Brummer (64), Anna Fourie (73), Nomsa Ngcongwane (56) and Prudence Majorobella (35), and also Mofolo Ntswaki (30) and Puseleletso Mola (33).
They stand accused of attempted murder (a schedule 5 crime), kidnapping (a schedule 6 crime), assault GBH (a schedule 5 crime) and charges under the Old Persons Act 13 of 2006. A new charge of torture has been added.
WO Tait told the court that another case implicating the accused has been made at the Welkom Police Station. She also referred to a third case that is pending.
The bail application continues today in the Welkom Magistrate’s Court.
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