Groblersdal assault: Corrie Pretorius pleads guilty, firearm charge withdrawn

The Limpopo man accused of beating and pointing a firearm at a 16-year-old boy over seasoning at a restaurant has pleaded guilty.

Corrie Pretorius returned to the dock at the Groblersdal Magistrate’s Court on Friday, following his release on bail last month.

The 50-year-old man was reportedly granted R20 000 bail by the Limpopo High Court after he filed an appeal application.

He was initially denied bail on 29 June, with the magistrate’s court ruling at the time that his life would be in danger if released.

‘My actions were wrongful’

As proceedings resumed in court on Friday, the state withdrew the charge of pointing a firearm and decided to proceed with the charge of assault to cause grievous bodily harm, which Pretorius pleaded guilty to.

In his plea, Pretorius admitted to kicking the 16-year-old boy outside a fish and chips shop in Groblersdal three times.

He explained that he was fearing for his life when “about 11 other young men” surrounded him during the incident, prompting him to take out his firearm.

“My three children were also outside the shop… I felt threatened for my safety and the safety of my children in the circumstances that I pulled out my licenced firearm,” his lawyer read out the plea.

The 50-year-old, however, denied that he pointed the firearm at anybody, saying “I merely kept in my hand by my side”.

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He said while the group fled after he took out the firearm, the teenager then tried to grab the gun, but managed to keep hold of it.

“I then grabbed the complainant and managed to trip him over and [he] fell to the ground. While the complainant was on the ground, I proceeded to stomp and kick him that I exceeded the grounds of private defence because the complainant had already fell to the ground.

“I knew at that stage after the complainant fell that it was not necessary to continue to assault the complainant and my actions were wrongful. I, therefore, plead guilty to assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm,” Pretorious continued.

The matter has since been postponed to 2 December for sentencing.

Pretorious was arrested on Youth Day by local police after a brief investigation into the assault incident, which was captured on video.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the teenage boy and his cousin were at Fatcake City shop in Groblersdal when he asked to use the same seasoning as Pretorius.

The accused allegedly became furious and started assaulting the 16-year-old by pushing him outside the store.

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