UPDATE: Simba Mhere’s father testifies
KENSINGTON B – State calls two witnesses involved in the car accident involving Simba Mhere and Kady-Shay O’Bryan’s death.
The trial involving the death of Simba Mhere and Kady-Shay O’Bryan started on 8 December.
The driver, Preshalin Naidoo (24), is accused of causing the collision which resulted in the death of Mhere and O’Bryan and was charged with two counts of culpable homicide. He pleaded not guilty on both counts. He claimed in his statement read by Defence Advocate Franscois Roets, “As a result of an unexpected and unforeseeable mechanical defect in the right suspension of the vehicle that I was driving, I lost control of the vehicle (white Polo GTI), which caused the collision between my vehicle and other vehicles.”
State Prosecutor MJ Jager called Simba Mhere’s father, Joseph Mhere to the witness stand. Here, Mhere explained how they were travelling towards the onramp on William Nicol Drive in order to reach OR Tambo airport via the N1 highway at around 5.30am. “Suddenly we heard a big noise from the driver’s side and a big van just hit our car, we then started rolling,” stated Mhere.
“I felt pain in my back, I looked at my son and he was motionless, I looked at his friend [O’Bryan] and she was motionless.” Mhere further added that they were on the right hand lane, closest to the island when the accident occurred. After cross examination by Roets, Magistrate David Mhango allowed Mhere to step down.
The second witness, Velry Laka, who was driving the Mazda 2 vehicle which was involved in the accident, took to the stand. Laka explained how she heard a car travelling at a fast speed. “I saw the vehicle (White Polo GTI) hit the [black Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback] vehicle which was in front of me, on the right, after that the White Polo GTI turned and flipped on top of our vehicle.”
She and her three children exited the car. She recalled how Naidoo apologised to her. “He asked for a phone to call his parents but I said no because I was angry,” stated Laka. During cross examination by Roets, he argued that Laka was far too traumatised and angry to accurately remember the events of that morning’s accident.
Follow @randburg_sun and @AshtynMackenzie for live updates during the trial.
