Accused in Kim Kerswill case sentenced
The accused in the Kim Kerswill case has been sentenced in the Mbombela Magistrate’s Court today, bringing a bit of closure to her family.
Under an agreement reached between the state, defence and Kerswill’s family’s legal representatives, Lance Martin Smith (21) pleaded guilty to the charge of culpable homicide, which was the main charge against him.
The magistrate sentenced him to a three-year wholly suspended prison sentence and 365 hours of community service at Martin’s Funerals.
At around midnight on December 16, Smith was driving Kerswill home from a party when he allegedly drove the car into a truck at a high speed at the Samora Machel/R40 intersection at the Crossing Centre.
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Kerswill died at Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg on Christmas Day after being transferred there from Mediclinic Nelspruit.
Smith was also charged with driving under the influence. However, the police were unable to test him at the scene. He did admit to drinking on the night in question but maintained that he had not been intoxicated. As part of the plea deal, he was not sentenced based on this charge.
