Carolina Spar assault case: Bail hearing adjourned to December

Postmortem results have delayed a bail hearing for two Carolina Spar supermarket senior employees and a security guard.

The formal bail application of the accused, which was expected to continue in the Carolina Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, was adjourned to December.

Spar supermarket manager William Viljoen, 32, assistant manager Hannes Terblanche, 29, and private security guard Obi Nortjé, 32, are accused of severely assaulting Thulani Sibanyoni, 35, and Thabiso Sibanyoni, 22, (the two not related).

The two friends were kidnapped and taken to the store, where they were beaten with iron bars and batons on 14 August.

Thulani died at the Witbank Hospital on 1 September as a result of the injuries he sustained during the assault.

Bleeding from his head

The victims had been accused of insulting a female employee of the store.

The court previously heard that, after being assaulted, Thabiso was ordered to carry Thulani, who could not walk and was bleeding from his head.

Thabiso later dropped Thulani on the street and asked for help.

Weak, swollen head

Detective Sergeant Charles Mokwena previously told the court that both Thulani and Thabiso opened criminal cases against their assailants on 27 August.

Mokwena said Thulani’s health deteriorated later that day. He felt weak, could not walk and his head was swollen. The wound on his head was also oozing a yellowish substance.

Thulani was then taken to Carolina Hospital and later transferred to the Witbank Hospital, where he later died.

Mokwena pleaded with the court not to grant the accused bail because they might intimidate witnesses.

He said it could also cause an uproar, which could result in Spar being attacked by locals.

The bail hearing for Viljoen, Terblanche and Nortjé continues on 3 December.

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