The 19-year-old pupil from HTS, Darren Joseph is still in ICU after an attack that left him with severe head injuries.
Darren was beaten over the head with a shock absorber on Friday, November 8.
According to Ms Deniel Rabie, Darren’s mother, she and her boyfriend, Mr Johan Koekemoer broke up, “I wanted to get my parrot and he just did not want to allow me to fetch it. I tried to get the assistance of the police numerous times without success. Eventually Koekies agreed and said that I can come and fetch the bird,” Rabie recalls.
Rabie and her two sons, Darren and Do’Nell went to Koekemoer’s house to fetch the parrot. It was already dark.
“As I drove to the house, I saw Koekies walking in the street; I rolled down my window to speak to him. That’s when he shouted: ‘Kom vat net die ding!’ ” Rabie explained.
Rabie along with her two sons got out of the vehicle and followed Koekemoer towards the front door.
“I was confused about this as we never used the front door, but I assumed that is where my parrot was,” she further explained.
As they approached the front door, Koekemoer allegedly pushed Rabie to the ground and she fell.
“That was when he started to chase my oldest son and he ran towards the gate. Then Koekies locked the gate behind us. Koekies gave me a hard shot on my body. It hit my wind out and I couldn’t breath.”
Rabie said she was lying on the floor when she heard her younger son, Darren screaming for her.
“Then I heard two or three shots, it was really loud and then Darren fell down behind me and a pool of blood started to appear around him,” Rabie said trying to hold back the tears.
Rabie phoned her aunt who was visiting from Johannesburg and pleaded with her to contact emergency services.
“I screamed at Darren to wake up. While he was waking up Koekies started to beat us again while we were still on the ground,” she said.
Allegedly when Darren woke up, he tried to cover his mom shouting “Mommy go! Mommy go!”
It is alleged that when Rabie and Darren finally made it to her car Koekemoer started to beat the car with the motorbike shock.
Neighbors assisted trying to get Darren into their house and to stop the bleeding while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
By this time Koekemoer allegedly locked himself in his house.
“It was like the man is completely mad, he was driven by pure rage and anger,” explained one of the eyewitnesses that had to look on as this scene of dramatic events played out.
Darren was taken to Witbank General Hospital and has been in the ICU ever since.
He received brain surgery on Tuesday, November 12 and had a tracheotomy done on Monday, November 18.
Koekemoer handed himself over to police on Monday, November 11. A case of attempted murder was opened.
His first court appearance was also on the same day.
On Thursday, November 14 he appeared in Witbank Magistrate’s Court again for his formal bail application.
The matter was postponed to Friday, November 15.
On Friday, November 15 the bail application was postponed to Monday, November 18.
Once again the formal bail application was postponed to Tuesday, November 19.
On Tuesday, Koekemoer appeared in court.
After Koekemoer’s lawyer as well as the state prosecutor had their opportunity to state their case the magistrate denied bail for Koekemoer as it would not have been in the interest of justice.
Koekemoer will be behind bars until his next appearance which will take place on Wednesday, January 15, 2020.
After some investigation it came to light that previous cases have been opened against Koekemoer.
*On October 31 a case of theft was opened against Koekemoer by Rabie for allegedly taking her cell phone and laptop. This matter is still pending in court and Koekemoer will appear in court on January 15, 2020 for this case.
*A case of assault was opened against Koekemoer on August 18, 2017.
Koekemoer will appear in court on January 7, 2020 for this matter.
*In 2014 cases of common assault, assault with the purpose to inflict grievous bodily harm and theft were opened against Koekemoer.
All three of these cases have been withdrawn.
[VIDEO]Light your candle for Darren https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/140159/videolight-candle-darren/
[VIDEO] Bail denied for suspect who allegedly assaulted matric pupil https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/140975/video-bail-denied-suspect-allegedly-assaulted-matric-pupil/
