Robertson farm manager acquitted of assault

Cape Town - A Robertson farm manager who was accused of assaulting Flippie Engelbrecht in 2008 has been acquitted, Eyewitness News tweeted on Thursday.

The Worcester Magistrate's Court granted Wilhelm Truernicht’s application to be discharged on the basis that the State failed to provide credible evidence.

Treurnicht, the manager of Rietvallei Wine Estate in Robertson, was accused of assaulting Engelbrecht on 25 January 2008 when he allegedly rammed Engelbrecht's head against a wine tank and kicked him repeatedly in the head, Sapa reported.

Engelbrecht was 13-years-old at the time.

Treurnicht's defence lawyer Pieter Botha argued that the evidence of six of eight State witnesses was unreliable and "very poor". Engelbrecht, his parents, a doctor and the investigating officer were all witnesses.

A second accused, Rietvallei farm owner Johnny Burger, committed suicide in September last year.