Gutter made his first appearance at the Brandfort Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday following his arrest by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team. His arrest comes after a long investigation and a court-ordered inquest in mid-2024.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Zweli Mohobeleli explained that the incident happened on August 29, 2016. Police were called to Gutter’s farm outside Brandfort after reports of an attack. When they arrived, they found four suspects who had been apprehended by local farmers and workers. Among them was Segalo, lying face down with a gunshot wound to his back. He later died from the injury.

A firearm allegedly linked to the suspects was only found three days later, not far from the scene. Both that gun and another firearm registered to Gutter were sent in for ballistic testing.

In the end, Segalo died, and the other three suspects were acquitted of attempted robbery. No charges were initially filed for Segalo’s death, but a new inquest opened in 2024 led the court to charge Gutter with murder in March 2025.

He was granted bail of R2,000, and his case has been postponed to May 29, when it will move to the Brandfort Regional Court.

Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, head of the Free State Hawks, commended the investigative team for their perseverance.

“This case is proof that the law may take time, but it doesn’t forget,” Bokaba said. “We may have thought we hit a dead end at first, but fresh evidence breathed new life into the investigation.”

“It won’t bring Mr. Segalo back,” Bokaba added, “but it does offer his family a chance at justice and closure.”

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