Farmer Mows Down 6 Year Old Boy For Stealing Oranges, Breaking Both His Legs

Christoffel Johannes Stoman, a 70-year-old farmer, appeared in the Vredendal Magistrate’s Court on Monday, facing two charges of attempted murder and an additional charge of reckless and negligent driving.

The charges stem from a disturbing incident that took place on Friday, September 20, when six-year-old Khwezi Beukes was struck by a vehicle driven by Stoman, leaving the boy with severe injuries.

According to testimony presented in court, Beukes was walking with his mother, Magdalene Jantijies, when the child stopped to pick up an orange from the ground.

He then attempted to reach through a fence to retrieve another orange that had fallen nearby. It was at this moment that Stoman, towing a trailer, allegedly ploughed into both mother and son, running over the boy and crushing his legs.

Eyewitness accounts and the mother’s statement reveal that Stoman, enraged by what he perceived as theft, accused the boy of stealing the oranges. In what has been described as a shocking act of vigilantism, Stoman reportedly used his vehicle to exact “punishment,” leaving the six-year-old with multiple leg fractures and other serious injuries.

Jantijies told police that as her son lay helpless on the ground, Stoman showed no remorse. According to her statement, he told officers he “would do it again.” The farmer’s alleged lack of empathy has only intensified public outrage surrounding the case.

Both Beukes and his mother were rushed to Vredendal Hospital after the incident. Given the severity of the boy’s injuries, he was later transferred to Paarl Hospital, where he remains under care.

The child’s mother confirmed that her son is still receiving treatment in an attempt to save his legs. Surgeons are scheduled to operate on Wednesday in what will be a critical procedure to stabilize his condition.

Recounting the horrifying experience, Jantijies stated that she and her son had been on their way to town to buy food when they passed by Stoman’s smallholding.

The oranges had fallen from trees on the farmer’s property, and in an innocent moment, her son stopped to pick them up. She then heard Stoman shout before the vehicle struck them, pinning them against a fence.

The case has stirred significant local attention, with many calling for justice for the young boy and his family. The trial is ongoing, and the court will continue to hear evidence in the days to come.