Tears of forgiveness for hit-and-run suspect flow in police holding cells

Johanica Orton’s sister, Carina Janse van Rensburg, gave an incredible testimony during the memorial service at Church Unlimited last week Friday.

She spoke from the heart on what had transpired and how she had come face to face with the man who was allegedly responsible for Johanica’s death and how she forgave him, The Lowvelder reports.

Johanica, 34, was killed on October 28 in a hit-and-run incident.

The driver was arrested later that day, and identified as Philip Watkins, 50, after he appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrates’ Court on charges of culpable homicide, leaving the scene of an accident and obstruction of justice.

“I would like to share a testimony of what God has done for us in the past week. After hearing the sad news that my sister has passed away in an accident when she was running and the driver hit her, and then drove away, but was caught later in the day, my husband and I drove through to Nelspruit.”

She said they came to Johanica’s husband, Andre, and found out that he was sad, but he had forgiven this man who caused the accident and did not hold any grudges against him.

“On Saturday night, I did not sleep very well. I woke up during the night a couple of times, just crying a lot with thoughts running through my head.

“I kept praying all the time. Then I woke up again, and I felt that God had stirred such a compassion in my heart for the man that had caused the accident. My husband was awake, so we prayed for the man, as he must have been in a desperate place.”

She said she told her husband they must tell him the family has forgiven him.

André Orton (husband), Monique Orton (sister-in-law), Corina (Johanica’s sister) and her husband Pieter Janse van Rensburg. Photos: Johan Orton

“As soon as we got a chance the next day, we drove to the police station. We got there and stood in the queue. I saw a notice that said visiting hours were between 11am and 12am.”

Carina then spoke to a female police officer and told her she wanted to come see the man who had allegedly killed a runner.

“I didn’t know his name or if they would allow us to see him. She told us to wait until visiting hours.

“We sat in the corner and prayed in the police station while we waited. I was anxious as I didn’t know how it would play out, if I would be disappointed, but we kept praying for the man for his heart to be receptive.”

Finally at 11am, another policeman took them through to the cells.

“The police officer went into the cell and brought out the man. Initially I was not sure what or who he was, and then the police officer gestured it was him. I told him I was the sister of Johanica who was killed the previous morning.

“When I said that he fell down, holding onto the bars of the door. He could not face us and started crying, saying he was sorry and could not explain what happened.

“I went down to his level and I reached out to him through the bars and held onto his arm. I said to him my sister was a Christian, and believed in a God that died for us that we can have the liberty to forgive people.

“We want to come and tell him Andre, her husband, and the family had forgiven him. We just wanted him to come to know God and He would show His mercy to him. I started crying and was talking loudly and my husband was praying. We prayed that he would come to know God.

“When we were finished, I looked up and I saw the police officer in the cell with him was standing silently and crying. Then I saw there were a lot of people behind me and they were also crying. I just felt it was such an intense moment for God to reveal his compassion for people, and the forgiveness only God can give us.

“I was touched by God at that moment by his Holy Spirit. Even though from the beginning I felt I had forgiven him, there was just a deeper level of liberty I had experienced from then on. There was no place for any deep darkness to be.”

Listen to the family’s testimony below:

On Saturday, members of LVCC ran the Uniwisp Kaapsehoop 3-in-1 marathon, in a “bus” format in memory of Johanica

LVCC runners and members of various clubs wore purple ribbons on their chests and a photo of Johanica on either the back or front of their clubs’ running shirts.

Adele Smit and Paul Norman formed the “buses” for the 42.2 kilometres and the 21.1 kilometres, respectively.

“Not only did we run in commemoration of Johanica, but we also launched a campaign for ‘focused driving’ to raise awareness for both runners and drivers to be extra careful on the roads,” said Smit.

Watkins is due back in court on December 1.