Doddieburn Ranch under 24-hour watch

Clemence Manyukwe News Editor
POLICE have placed Doddieburn Ranch under heavy security including a 24-hour surveillance that has seen law enforcement agents restricting visits to the property.A visit by Chronicle  to the property on Saturday established that a police post has since been set up at the ranch following the helicopter incident involving Frikkie Lutzkie, who runs a safari business there.

Lutzkie, a South African millionaire, crashed his chopper on May 4 and subsequently buried it, purportedly to forestall an explosion that could claim lives, but authorities seem not to be buying his side of the story.

The businessman has been holed up in South Africa since authorities launched a probe into the matter.

Two of Lutzkie’s alleged employees, Pieter Marais and Lourens Botha, also citizens from the neighbouring country, are currently out on bail for working without permits at Doddieburn Ranch.

Yesterday, Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele referred questions to Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi who could also not comment on the issue.

During the visit to Doddieburn over the weekend, Chronicle established that the police had pitched a tent at the game farm and access is restricted.

A group of Russian tourists were at the game farm at the time.

Police are maintaining a vigil at the place in case Lutzkie turns up and the intelligence services are also on the lookout for those going and leaving the place.

A Doddieburn employee who spoke on condition of anonymity described the situation at the ranch as tense.

“The situation here is disturbing to both animals and tourists. We need to feed some of the animals like lions. At the moment we have tourists from Russia and from the heavy security presence they can feel all is not well. It’s not a normal situation and it’s not good for our tourism,” said the employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

In an interview with Chronicle, Lutzkie stuck to his previous version that he had not violated any of the country’s laws as he buried the chopper in fear that some people, especially children, might tamper with it, leading to its explosion and possible loss of life.

“I am an investor. I have not committed any crime. I have never been convicted of any crime in my life,” he said. “What could I have done? If there was an explosion and people died, I was going to be arrested my friend.”