An unspoken oath; the murderers must fall.
One of the suspects implicated in the murder of Charlotte Viviers and Eric Oosthuizen appeared before the Memel Magistrate’s Court on November 4.
The courtroom was packed to capacity, prompting officials to bring in extra chairs and benches to accommodate the crowd. Farmers and friends from Zamani, Memel and Newcastle were in attendance.
As the suspect stepped onto the stand, the courtroom was drenched in deathly silence. Under heavy police guard, the proceedings commenced; the animosity evident in the public gallery.
From the onset, the suspect only made eye contact with his translator. He appeared dead on his feet, yet wary of those advocating the harshest penalty of the law.
The suspect’s legal representative asked for the case to be postponed; a few residents shaking their heads in disbelief.
The defence appealed to the State to provide him with statements contained in the official docket. The Magistrate agreed, and instructed him to present an application in writing before a predetermined date.
The case was moved to Vrede Court in order for the defence to gain access to the statements. It was up to the State to decide whether or not to release the documents on November 9. The status of the application was yet to be disclosed at the time of publication.
Once the necessary documentation has been obtained, the suspect and his legal representative will decide whether or not to proceed with the bail application.
If they decide to proceed with the application, the matter will be referred back to Memel Magistrate’s Court. In this instance, the Magistrate said the application would be heard on November 18.
It was decided the case would be heard at Memel court, as a result of the public interest.
We stand together
Outside the courtroom, residents wore handmade signs saying, murders must fall and in solidarity with the white society.
The Memel community was heartbroken, and extended condolences to those grief-stricken by the loss of most beloved locals.
“We are horrified! This is not the Memel we know. We don’t want the town to have a bad name because of an isolated incident,” claimed a resident.
The manhunt for the second suspect is under way. Anyone with information regarding the case is encouraged to contact Memel SAPS on 058 924 8901.
Do you think the suspect should be granted bail? Email us at ncschools@caxton.co.za.
