Another court delay leaves elderly farmer behind bars

74 year old Peter Hingeston locked up for wanting to stay in his home

By Alex Bell
21 February 2012

An elderly farmer, arrested more than a week ago over his attempts to hang onto his home, will remain locked up until Thursday after another court delay.

74 year old Peter Hingeston was meant to appear for a bail hearing on Tuesday after previous delays, including the police ‘mislaying’ his case papers last Friday. But he is now facing another two days in custody, after his hearing was postponed to Thursday.

Hingeston was arrested more than a week ago after failing to appear in court for medical reasons. He has been held behind bars ever since, despite his own lawyers assuring him that he could miss the court date on medical grounds.

Hingeston was forced off his Lowveld sugar cane farm in the mid 2000s and ‘retired’ to a house and plot of land in Vumba. But it’s believed that a top police official wants that property and for the last four years Hingeston has been fighting to stay there.