AfriForum wary of delayed blood results in the culpable homicide case of a professional soccer player
AfriForum spokesperson Barry Bateman has accused the police of dragging the case until it is struck off the roll.
“In our experience of other matters, it has become more and more evident that the SAPS either lacks the skills to investigate culpable homicide cases, or considers them to be of lesser importance.”
This is AfriForum’s comment on the culpable homicide case of Sekhukhune United FC attacker Shaune Mogaile. Mogaile ploughed head-on into Keo Mavimbela’s car, killing 9-year-old Gomolemo, on her way to school on October 30, 2024.
Carol Khethiwa’s daughter, Thando, who was also in the car, sustained injuries from the deadly crash.
AfriForum spokesperson Barry Bateman questioned the police’s ability to probe this case of culpable homicide. “The trauma caused by this lingering case remains unhealthy for the victims. Our instructions are to not only obtain a status update, but also to ensure that justice is served.”
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He said AfriForum offered its assistance to ensure that the matter would be concluded without further undue delay. “Understandably, our clients believe the lack of communication and progress in getting the case ready for trial is due to the accused’s public profile. Without any meaningful feedback from SAPS or the prosecutor, our clients have provided our office with a timeline, which suggests an apparent lack of urgency in completing the investigation.”
The timeline is as follows:
- Mogaile turned himself in on October 30, 2024, allegedly eight hours after fleeing the scene.
- He was granted R20 000 bail by the Thembisa Magistrates’ Court on November 1, 2024, and the case was postponed to February 4, 2025. (Bateman noted that the accused was granted bail, even though the available evidence indicated that he had fled the scene and handed himself over to the police, allegedly eight hours after the collision.)
• February 24, three months after the incident, the matter was postponed because the post-mortem and J88 forms were not available. SAPS requested an opportunity to analyse video footage and to obtain further witness statements. - May 19, the State requested another postponement because the post-mortem was still unavailable, and to obtain the results of a blood alcohol sample obtained from the accused. We infer that the specimen was received more than eight hours after the accident.
- June 24, the matter was postponed to September 16 for further investigation because the blood alcohol report was still outstanding.
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Rabie Ridge SAPS were contacted for comment, and asked if they had received the letter from AfriForum, and their response to the allegations levelled against them.
Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the station management was aware of the letter and had taken note of all the concerns raised. “This is a prosecutor-led investigation. It should be noted that the blood test results, which are done at the National Forensic Science Lab, are still outstanding, hence the postponement, as this forms part of the crucial evidence in the case. A letter has been written to the lab to fast-track the results.”
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