Bulldog breakthrough as suspect appears on 2022 culpable homicide charge thanks to AfriForum pressure
Afriforum's private prosecution unit has seen that justice is served after Motheo Madihlaba was killed in an accident last year.
Jonas Moedigi Sebati made his first appearance in the Middelburg District Court on a charge of culpable homicide, more than a year after the death of #Braai # Pizza delivery driver Motheo Madihlaba.
The matter finally made it to court after Motheo’s grieving mother Granny Madihlaba approached AfriForum’s private prosecution unit, headed by Advocate Gerrie “Bulldog” Nel, fearing that the local police and prosecutors weren’t giving the matter the serious attention the death of her son deserved.
Motheo was killed after colliding with Sebati’s bakkie in Walter Sisulu Street during a delivery run, after Sebati allegedly overtook a vehicle into oncoming traffic over a solid line.
Eyewitnesses on the scene allege that Sebati had been intoxicated, smelling of alcohol, and visibly unstable on his feet.
He was transported to the police station where blood was drawn for alcohol testing, whereafter Sebati was released and instructed to return on April 1 this year.
After some serious pressure from Nel and his team, the matter was finally placed on the district court roll for today.
Sebati made a brief appearance and the matter was postponed to January 29 next year.
Advocate Nel accompanied Ms Madihlaba to court, where Motheo’s mom expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Nel and his team in their assistance with keeping the pressure on the police and local prosecutors to bring Sebati to book.
Sebati has yet to plead to the charge against him.
Ms Madihlaba said she was only informed of her son’s death a day after the incident.
She told Advocate Nel that the family felt powerless until AfriForum became involved, “It’s more than a year later, and we felt the police and prosecutors were doing nothing, it was as if the accused simply kicked a dog and continued with his life,” she said.
Advocate Nel assured Ms Madihlaba of his team’s continued support, adding, “Let us trust the court to now effectively deal with the matter, and hopefully obtain justice for Motheo’s death.”
Nel and his team were instrumental in the successful prosecution of Khumbulani Malinga over the death of Ms Liezel Visagie in March 2019.
Malinga was sentenced to eight years imprisonment after striking Ms Visagie with his vehicle while fleeing from traffic officers during a traffic stop.
Ms Visagie pushed her teenage daughter out of a speeding Malinga’s way before she was fatally struck.
She was struck with such force that one of her legs was severed on impact.
The Bulldog team also had a hand in the recent murder charge brought against Phillip de Klerk over the shooting death of Gerhard Coetzer in April 2018.
De Klerk, like Sebati, was only charged this year. Both matters will head to trial next year.
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Afriforum as “helde” beskou – man wat wegjaag vandag gevonnis
