‘Ontdekkers police’: Accused showed no remorse, says mother
Mother of deceased confronted accused after court appearance.
Henry Prinsloo, 26, who pleaded guilty to two counts of culpable homicide involving the death the two police officers appeared in court again today (18 August).
Last year on 16 June Prinsloo drove into a police vehicle on Ontdekkers Road while under the influence. The police vehicle caught fire and the two police officers burned to death.
Prinsloo appeared in the Roodepoort Regional Court with Magistrate Delize Smith presiding. The state asked to question the Correctional Services representative who had interviewed Prinsloo and submitted a report with a view to his sentencing. The witness told the state that Prinsloo was “sad about the tragic incident and could not forgive himself, and that he deserved to be punished”. In response the state wanted to know if the accused has made any effort to apologise to the victims’ families. The witness also said that Prinsloo told him he was hospitalised for post traumatic stress disorder and that he was bipolar. Again the state responded, asking what proof in the form of documentation confirming Prinsloo’s alleged condition has been submitted, but the witness admitted to not having seen any. The state then asked whether the witness thought the statements regarding Prinsloo’s condition were made just to keep him from going to prison, the witness answered “it was possible”. According to the witness Prinsloo could be deemed unreliable because he never volunteered the information about a previous drug offence to him.
The issue of how much Prinsloo had drunk on the day of the incident also came up. According to the witness he was told Prinsloo had consumed about five vodkas. The prosecutor then asked whether it was five tots or five bottles, and was told it was five tots. The state also asked whether the mother knew her son was drunk when he borrowed her car, but the witness said she did not.
The statements of the widow of Thulasizwe Skhahla, 38, and the mother of Elias Thabo Dibete, 34, was then read to the court. In both’s statements they elaborated on how extremely negative the death of their loved ones had affected their families – financially and emotionally. Both women said Prinsloo never asked them for forgiveness and Ditebe’s mother said he has showed no remorse.
Before the proceedings started Prinsloo could be heard threatening to sue the Record because they published his photo without his consent and in the process ‘defamed his name’. Fact is the Record never published Prinsloo’s photo and it is unclear what he meant by ‘defamed his name’.
When the proceedings were adjourned Ditebe’s mother briefly confronted Prinsloo and hurled an insult at him as she walked away.
The case has been postponed until 24 August for Smith to consider the sentencing.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
Lees ook:
Video and Photos: Police tradegy on Ontdekkers
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