Three men have been arraigned before a court in South Africa over the alleged killing of two women, Locadia Ndlovu and Maria Makgatho, and feeding their bodies to pigs on the farm where they work.
Farm owner, Zachariah Johannes Olivier, 60, supervisor Adrian Rudolph de Wet, 19, and employee William Musora, 45, face two counts of premeditated murder, one count of attempted murder, and possession of an unlicensed firearm.
Musora, a Zimbabwean national, also faces charges of being in South Africa illegally.
The female victims were allegedly trespassing on Olivier’s farm in the northern province of Limpopo in August when they were shot dead.
Ms Ndlovu’s husband, Mabutho was with them at the time and told South African broadcaster Newsroom Afrika that he was also shot on the farm.
He reportedly managed to crawl to a nearby road where he was able to seek help before being taken to a police station where an ambulance was called.
Mr Ndlovu told police what happened before officers visited the farm but did not find the women, according to the South African news website IOL.
However, officers are said to have found the bodies in a pigsty on the farm some days later.
Police have confirmed Ms Makgatho and Ms Ndlovu, aged 47 and 34 respectively, were mauled by the pigs and had numerous gunshot wounds on their bodies.
The two women and Mr Ndlovu were allegedly trespassing on the farm to try and collect potentially expired dairy products that had been dumped there by a truck.
Olivier, De Wet and Musora appeared in Mankweng Magistrates’ Court in Polokwane in Limpopo on Tuesday.
The state wants them to remain behind bars until their trial is concluded.
The case has caused outrage in South Africa, with many protesting outside the court calling for the men to be denied bail and face the harshest possible sentence.
The South African Human Rights Commission called on the public not to take the law into their own hands in retaliation.
The case will continue next month.
