MBOMBELA – The court case of a bedridden 24-year-old man who was left paralysed after he was beaten by four young men from his village is scheduled to continue toady in the Nelspruit Regional Court.
Mr Lucas Mohlala of Masoyi gave his testimony in his attempted murder case, while lying in a bed prepared specially for him in the intermediary room of the court. He was assisted by a court officer who interpreted the proceedings in court, while the magistrate and everyone in court viewed his testimony on a TV screen.
It was also put on record that the complainant can neither stand or sit and that he used earphones to assist his hearing.
Mohlala testified how the four accused, Messrs Bongani Ngomane, Veli Methula, Sifiso Ngoma and Vusi Sambo, had assaulted him with beer bottles, bricks and kicked him after accusing him of telling his neighbour, called Java’s, that he had witnessed the four stole his radio and hiding the stolen items. He told the court how the four would not listen to his cries and pleas for mercy until he was left unconscious.
This happened on November 8, 2008.
When the accused’s defence lawyer questioned if Mohlala was certain that the four accused were the people who allegedly attempted to kill him, Mohlala clearly stated that he knew them very well and they were the ones who had assaulted him.
Outside court, the victim’s family told this newspaper that they were eagerly waiting for justice to be done to the accused who totally changed the life of their brother who cannot do anything for himself and solely depends on his mother’s for feeding, bathing and everything else.
“He can’t even go to the toilet and uses pampers (disposable nappies) and sometimes it is hard to buy enough as we only depend on his disability grant,” said his sister Sibongile.
She pleaded with anyone who could help with adult nappies to lend a helping hand to his family. “We would really appreciate any form of help and a mobile wheelchair to assist him to move about,” she said.
This newspaper can be contacted by anyone interested in supplying the family with disposable nappies and a mobile wheelchair.
