FAURESMITH – A young man from Fauresmith in the Free State facing a charge of attempted murder of a fellow resident, is remanded in custody following a gruesome knife attack. The accused, Justin Otto (24), had his case postponed to Tuesday 20 October for a bail application after a brief appearance before the Fauresmith Magistrates’ Court on Monday 12 October.

Sgt Sinah Mpakane, provincial spokesperson for the police, said the victim, Thembile Tseletsele (43), survived the attack. She said Otto allegedly stabbed the victim in the neck at about 19:15 on Saturday 10 October, while at his residence with friends.

Tseletsele was treated at the Diamant District Hospital in Jagersfontein.

“Otto was arrested shortly after allegedly stabbing the victim with a knife on the left side of the neck before fleeing the scene. The knife got stuck in the victim’s neck and it broke into two pieces. However, the victim managed to pull it out,” said Mpakane. She said the motive for the brutal knife-attack was part of the ongoing investigation into the attempted murder case.

Mpakane said the victim was attacked at his home and was in the company of his friends, consuming alcohol. “The suspect arrived at the place without saying a word and allegedly attacked the victim with a knife. Emergency service was called to attend to the incident. The victim was taken by an ambulance to a local hospital for medical treatment,” she said.

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A separate knife-attack in August claimed the life of a 36-year-old woman, Tshidi Reed. Her assailant stabbed her multiple times in the upper left body and left her for dead on the open veld in the Ipopeng township. It emerged that her family tried to save her life by transporting her to the Diamant District Hospital after lengthy delays waiting for an ambulance. However, Reed was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.