MBOMBELA – The men accused of brutally torturing an elderly woman for hours, appeared in court this week only to have their trial postponed.
Messrs Thulane Nonyama, Senzo Masekob and Lucky Msibi allegedly brutally attacked and assaulted Ms Christine Otto in the Burnside area in 2014.
The accused appeared in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Wednesday. They stand accused of various charges of assault and robbery with aggravated circumstances.
The prosecutor, Mr Thulani Msibi requested the court to postpone the trial due to the presiding prosecutor being unable to attend due to an illness. “She is an elderly woman in her advanced years. We cannot change prosecutors now as she is used to Magda Marais,” he added. He requested the postponement to September 26, the second date for trial which had been set. The magistrate, Ms Venessa Joubert allowed it.
Otto was ambushed while walking to her car as she was planning to attend a friend’s funeral. She was then dragged inside her home, tied to the shower and tortured for hours.
She was whipped, repeatedly burned with a hot iron, and hit in the face with fists until she gave up her keys to the safe. The men are accused of stealing her three firearms, her blue Kia Picanto and jewellery. Otto was left tied to the shower, but was later able to free herself. She then called Hi-Tech Security Nelspruit and the police.
Nonyama is out on bail, but Msibi and Masekob are still in custody.
