DANIEL Jacobus Olivier (52), who stands accused of the murder of Ludi Vink (30), has asked Vink’s mother, Danlee, for forgiveness.
“I am very sorry for what happened that night and I hope that you can forgive me,” were the words of Olivier when he appeared at the Palmridge Magistrate’s Court on August 30.
He appeared again in court on Friday, September 8, on charges of assault and murder, with his wife and three sons facing charges of assault – all related to Ludi’s death on February 21.Vink died after Olivier attacked him and stabbed him in the eye with a pool cue at Mitzy’s Pub on February 21. According to family members, Vink had tried to stop Olivier from attacking the bar owner. Vink was taken to the Thelle Mogoerane Hospital and was transferred to the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre in Johannesburg, where he died.
His family decided to donate his organs after he was declared brain dead.
Read: Ludi’s case postponed
On Friday, September 8, the heavily built Olivier, dressed in a white and blue shirt with black pants, greeted the family of Vink and after court proceedings he stepped up to Danlee and told her again how sorry he was.
“I told him that I have forgiven him and if my son should meet his murderer again, he would definitely have forgiven him. Ludi wasn’t harmful. He would’ve said: ‘Don’t worry, Mom, I’m happy and I forgive him.’ The case is now in the hands of the court and I do feel sorry for that whole family, but justice must be served,” said a smiling and calm Danlee.
According to her, life won’t go on if you cannot forgive, and Ludi would have wanted her to.
She told the RECORD that she is taking it day by day and that she became a grandmother to a beautiful little grandson, Johannes Lodewyk Steenekamp.
Vink’s family and supporters wore white T-shirts with a photo of Ludi and B+ on it.
“My son’s blood type was B+ which stands for ‘be positive’ and that was my lovely son,” she said.
His stepmother, Anet Vink, arranged the T-shirts. During and after the court proceedings, photos were trending on social media, where family members wearing the T-shirts saluted Ludi.
The magistrate has postponed the case to October 11 due to Olivier’s lawyer, Jacques Beukes, going on leave. The lawyer also wants to review the footage again and consult with the Olivier family.
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