Court snippets – the week’s postponements in a nutshell
The Lowveld's court appearances during the past week included the alleged rape of a school boy (8), the man accused of robbing Londolozi Game Reserve and a former HOD who allegedly committed fraud totaling millions.
• A local gunsmith appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for the suspected theft of live ammunition from his employer. Mr Clive Meshack Mbuyane (52) was arrested on March 2 after his employer contacted the police to report his suspicion that the accused was stealing from him. Mbuyane is also suspected to have been supplying rhino poachers with ammunition and repairing their firearms. He was warned to return to court on June 24.
• The former head of the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison reappeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. Mr Thulani Sibuyi faces charges of fraud and corruption totalling R7 billion. It is alleged that Sibuyi’s department accepted a fraudulent tender for security services submitted by GNT Security in 2011. Mr Vusi Mashaba, owner of GNT, was charged with submitting a false tax report as part of the company’s tender application. Sibuyi and Mashaba applied to be discharged on the grounds that the state’s case was not strong enough. The magistrate, Ms Venessa Joubert, postponed the case to May 8 for judgement on their application.
• Three minors from White River appeared in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Thursday in connection with the alleged rape of an eight-year-old boy. Other media reported that they were arrested on November 12, 2013, after a community member caught them raping the victim. The three have previously been released on warning and the magistrate, Ms Venessa Joubert, warned them to return to court on June 29.
• Wade Williams (30) was arrested on the morning of Sunday April 5 after causing havoc at the Londolozi Game Reserve the previous evening. He appeared in the White River Magistrate’s Court on April 20 and was confronted with damning evidence in court. The state’s case avers that Williams planned to rob his employer, Londolozi Game Reserve, of R10 million and that he intended to murder his colleague, Mr Dave Dampier. A document titled POA was presented to court as evidence of Williams’ plan. He stands accused of partially executing this plan after he allegedly tied Dampier to a beam, forced him to consume copious amounts of alcohol and tried to kill him. Williams is also charged with the theft of the reserve’s Discovery 4, which he was driving at the time of his arrest. He appeared in the Skukuza Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. He requested a postponement of the case and was granted until June 8 to appoint an attorney, as his current legal representation will not represent him anymore.
