Dollar Table owner’s court case postponed again

Dollar Table Bar owner appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court on 12 November and his case was postponed to 20 January 2015.

The prosecutor stated that the court needed to do further investigations prior to any proceedings.

The bar owner appeared in court in connection with the brutal murder of Pirates Rugby player Thulane Popoyi at the Melville bar on 5 October.

The owner faces a charge of murder and one of defeating the ends of justice, after allegedly being uncooperative with the police following the discovery of the body.

“I have heard too many rumours about what happened,” said the accused.

Asked why he did not respond to the scene immediately as requested by the police, the bar owner said “I had other obligations, I did not have an appointment with the police and I had no way of knowing this was going to happen.”

He added that he was only arrested because he owns a bar where someone was killed.

Thulane’s mother and family attended the court hearing and were disappointed by the postponement.

“My child is no more; this is hurting me; they dragged my child and threw him outside like rubbish and this guy is out on bail – he [Dollar Table owner] walks free and he does not even look hurt about what happened,” said Beatrice Popoyi, Thulane’s mother.

Another relative, Noxolo Popoyi shared the same sentiments.

“He [the accused] is confident and does not seem to care. I was the one that had to go to the mortuary and look at the body. I have so many questions of what happened, what did he [Thulane] do to be harmed like this. He went through so much pain,” she said.