MBOMBELA – November 8 marks the fifth year after a man who blew the whistle regarding the location of suspected stolen items to the owner, ended up in a wheelchair.
Apparently the suspects were arrested and released after being questioned by the police, after which they allegedly approached the owner of the items who then revealed his source.
The victim’s mother, 61-year-old
Ms Elizabeth Mlotjwa-Mohlala told Mpumalanga News that she would never forget November 8, 2008, the day which left her once active and vibrant, able-bodied son, Mr Lucas Mohlala (23) partly paralysed, confined to a wheelchair and solely dependent on her for survival.
The unemployed widowed mother depends on the government’s social grant to buy at least two packets of adult nappies worth
R290 every month and to support her bed-ridden son, who is unable to move an inch, not even to turn on his bed.
She would appreciate a donation of quality nappies and a comfortable mobile wheelchair.
This newspaper also learnt that the victim’s family was worried about the dragging of justice in this matter as the case, which had been ongoing in the Nelspruit Regional Court for years, was always being postponed.
The mother prays day and night for the finalisation of the case against the perpetrators of her son’s disability.
“We have been in court a number of times, but to no a vail.
“In some of them the screening to be viewed in court, of my son giving his testimony while lying in bed, was ruled out of order.
“On another occasion, some doctors’ reports were missing and we had to go back without achieving anything,” she said.
During the recent court appearance on October 31 of the suspects, Mr Bongani Ngomane, Mr Sifiso Ngoma, Mr Veli Metane and Mr Vusi Sambo who were charged with attempted murder, they were told that the matter could not start as scheduled because the accused’s legal representative went to buy medication from a pharmacy and later called to say he was not feeling well and was apparently on his way to consult a doctor.
The state prosecutor confirmed that the the matter had been postponed several times, although he couldn’t specify the exact number.
He said the matter had been postponed to November 8 for the appearance of the lawyer and the setting of future trial dates.
The accused were remanded in custody.
