A FATHER who lost two sons, allegedly slain by his eldest son, yesterday forgave him in the Johannesburg High Court, which is sitting in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court.
Jean Elongo Ongona, the father of Hugues and Deogratias, whose bodies were found handcuffed and murdered in Randburg in 2010, made the emotional declaration after giving evidence in the case against his eldest son, Teddy, before Judge TP Mudau.
His faith, Ongona said, would not allow him to carry a grudge against his son, who had been charged with his siblings' murder.
"I became aware of certain things in this trial that I was not aware of before. That my son was employed in South Africa. That there were death threats against them and that he had $80000 (R715000)," Ongona said.
The amount was a divorce settlement from Teddy's American wife, Tiffany Richard, the court heard.
The court also heard how Teddy had made a chilling remark - that his brothers would "pay". Ongona said his understanding of such a statement meant that there was an intention to cause harm. "In French, when someone says 'you will pay', there is a meaning of vengeance. It is not to refund someone."
Father forgives son who 'killed' siblings
A FATHER who lost two sons, allegedly slain by his eldest son, yesterday forgave him in the Johannesburg High Court, which is sitting in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court.
Jean Elongo Ongona, the father of Hugues and Deogratias, whose bodies were found handcuffed and murdered in Randburg in 2010, made the emotional declaration after giving evidence in the case against his eldest son, Teddy, before Judge TP Mudau.
His faith, Ongona said, would not allow him to carry a grudge against his son, who had been charged with his siblings' murder.
"I became aware of certain things in this trial that I was not aware of before. That my son was employed in South Africa. That there were death threats against them and that he had $80000 (R715000)," Ongona said.
The amount was a divorce settlement from Teddy's American wife, Tiffany Richard, the court heard.
The court also heard how Teddy had made a chilling remark - that his brothers would "pay". Ongona said his understanding of such a statement meant that there was an intention to cause harm. "In French, when someone says 'you will pay', there is a meaning of vengeance. It is not to refund someone."
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