The Alex Magistrates’ Court commuted the sentence on a charge of negligent discharge of a firearm against prominent local-born international playwriter and musician Mbongeni Ngema to community service.
The case reported in Alex News in its earlier stage was heard on 17 October by Magistrate Renier Boshoff who considered in his judgment a recommendation from a social worker’s report. Ngema was arrested on 1 September at his Galor Manor, Sandton home by security guards who responded to gunshots.
He was arrested, granted R2 000 bail and appeared for the first hearing on 27 September when the case was postponed to 17 October. He claimed to have fired the shots at suspects trying to scale over a wall into his home. The incident which occurred in the presence of some of his family members was regarded as endangering public safety.
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