Owen Charles

Age 70. The incident occurred on a Sunday night when five attackers broke into the farmhouse. Owen Charles was stabbed 21 times with a sharp object and died at the scene. His 69-year-old wife, Janet Charles, was severely assaulted, beaten unconscious with a bottle, and critically injured. The attackers robbed the home, stealing household goods, six firearms, and the family’s Isuzu bakkie.The next evening, Monday, August 13, 2012, traffic and police officers in Plettenberg Bay spotted the stolen vehicle driving without number plates. A high-speed pursuit ensued into Knysna, during which the suspects shot at the authorities. The chase ended when the stolen bakkie crashed into a ditch, leading to the immediate arrest of the suspects. Notably, one of the adult perpetrators had been recently released from prison as part of a presidential special remission.All five primary suspects were swiftly prosecuted. On October 11, 2013, the Graaff-Reinet High Court handed down the following sentences:Nantheniel Blouw (22) was sentenced to life imprisonment plus 41 years.Ricardo Lomberg (19) was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.Three juveniles (aged 14, 15, and 16) were each sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.