NELSPRUIT – “They tied a rope around his neck like a dog leash, then shocked him and beat him with cables.” This was the words of magistrate Mr Roelf Smith on Wednesday when a brother and sister were found guilty of torturing a 15-year-old boy.
A brother and sister, Thuli Nomthandazo Fakude (24) and Sifiso Zimsele Msimango (20) appeared in the Nelspruit Regional Court on charges of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm. Smith found both guilty and sentenced them to five years’ imprisonment.
He said although the correctional services had requested a more lenient sentence as both accused were first-time offenders, he could not ignore the violence perpetrated on the victim. ”
The incident occurred on November 3, 2011 when the accused were drinking with Fakude’s boyfriend in their house in Tekatakho Trust in KaBokweni.
The boy often visited the next-door neighbours, a grandmother and her 15-year-old grandchild.
That night when they were drunk, Fakude’s boyfriend’s wallet went missing. The accused confronted the boy who admitted to taking the money. They then proceeded to torture and beat him severely.
Smith said the boy was urinating blood and had to be hospitalised for three days.
Prosecutor Ms Elise du Plessis said the accused had shown remorse only after they had been found guilty.
Smith added that both had taken the law into their own hands and had not called the police. “This is not supposed to happen – people cannot torture others when they feel like it – the law must punish the perpetrators.”
