Farmer in self-defence claim after killing

Solomon says he tried to escape funeral crowd

Murder accused, farmer Philip Solomon, was acting in self-defence when he shot his former employee Mothiwa Ngubane at a funeral on his farm in Cramond in KwaZulu-Natal 10 days ago.

This was alleged in the New Hanover Magistrate’s Court yesterday when the 65-year-old applied for bail.

Solomon said that he was a victim more than a perpetrator‚ and that he had acted in defence of his own life.

Long-standing tensions between Solomon and the Lembethe family were highlighted.

In support of his bid for bail‚ Solomon submitted a statement read into the court record. It detailed his account of the events that led to the shooting‚ including the claim that he had been trying to protect himself.

He said that his relationship with the Lembethe family had soured over decades‚ and that they had moved their homestead to its current position without permission.

He said that on the day of the shooting‚ he had heard a lot of noise coming from the homestead and had decided to investigate. On arrival he saw between 50 to 100 mourners‚ many of whom he did not know.

“I decided to stop the funeral from proceeding further and told the crowd to go ... initially they acceded and then they became hostile‚” he said in his statement.

He said he was assailed by a barrage of threats from the “hostile” crowd.

“I tried to back away from the group ... I backed up into a bush and I couldn’t retreat any further and I could not escape‚” Solomon said.

He said he had grabbed his handgun as Ngubane and others advanced on him.

“Both of his [Ngubane’s] hands were on me when I pulled the trigger. I was afraid of what would happen as he lunged toward my firearm‚” Solomon said.

“I am the victim ... attacks on farmers are particularly prevalent.”

His bid for bail continues.