The Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court heard that a man accused of beating his five-year-old son to death apparently had a drug addiction problem.
This was the testimony of Ishaam Khan who is the deputy chairperson at the Recovery Life Institute, a drug rehabilitation centre based in Chrisville, south of Johannesburg.
According to Khan, the accused, Seisax Boesack, left their centre prematurely a few months ago, before he could be rehabilitated from drug abuse.
“He just left on his own, without being discharged.”
Boesack is accused of beating his son to death at their home in Chrisville on 1 September.
READ: Father accused of killing his five-year-old son will not be applying for bail
Residents in the area are angry about the little boy’s death as they believe the murder could have been avoided. According to Khan who is the accused’s neighbour, Boesack was also arrested in December for allegedly beating the same child but charges were dropped by a family member of the accused. “If the charges were not dropped, this child could still be alive,” Khan said.
A group of concerned residents attended court proceedings when Boesack first appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court on 4 September. They carried placards lambasting him. Boesack appeared calm as he was standing in the dock.
Community members who attended the court proceedings and were sitting in the public gallery raised their placards but Magistrate Simon Radasi quickly reprimanded them and ordered them to put the placards down.
State prosecutor Talita Louw informed the court that the accused is charged with murder after he allegedly beat his five-year-old son to death. She told the court that the State will be opposing bail in the matter.
Boesack, who is represented by a legal aid attorney, abandoned his bail application. Radasi told him that he is facing a very serious charge and pointed out that if he is found guilty the minimum sentence will be life imprisonment.
Louw told the court that the State is still waiting for the post mortem results and requested that the court postpone the matter until 4 October.
Rashieda Landis, ward councillor for the area where the accused lives, attended the court case. She said the community was very angry and upset about the little boy’s death.
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