A FREE State barman was yesterday acquitted in the Bloemfontein regional court where he faced a murder charge after a quarrel with a man at the Warrior's Bar in June last year.
Marius van Niekerk stood accused of murdering Sideku Gareth Wotshela, a manager at Metro Cash & Carry in Hamilton, Bloemfontein.
Van Niekerk, 40, pleaded not guilty and claimed that he acted in self-defence.
Regional magistrate Dawn Soomaroo delivered her judgment on an application for acquittal by Van Niekerk's defence counsel after the state had closed its case earlier.
Soomaroo said Van Niekerk could not reasonably foresee that hitting Wotshela, 35, on the jaw would result in his death.
She said according to state evidence there was no aggression from Van Niekerk towards Wotshela during the night. Wotshela was involved in a scuffle with other patrons, which Van Niekerk broke up.
Later that night another incident occurred outside the bar when Wotshela tried to run over Van Niekerk and the people he had allegedly fought with in the bar.
He then jumped out and tried to stab them. The bartender hit away Wotshela's hand holding the knife and gave him a slap with the side of his hand to the jaw. He fell and was resuscitated for about an hour before he died.
Barman acquitted
A FREE State barman was yesterday acquitted in the Bloemfontein regional court where he faced a murder charge after a quarrel with a man at the Warrior's Bar in June last year.
Marius van Niekerk stood accused of murdering Sideku Gareth Wotshela, a manager at Metro Cash & Carry in Hamilton, Bloemfontein.
Van Niekerk, 40, pleaded not guilty and claimed that he acted in self-defence.
Regional magistrate Dawn Soomaroo delivered her judgment on an application for acquittal by Van Niekerk's defence counsel after the state had closed its case earlier.
Soomaroo said Van Niekerk could not reasonably foresee that hitting Wotshela, 35, on the jaw would result in his death.
She said according to state evidence there was no aggression from Van Niekerk towards Wotshela during the night. Wotshela was involved in a scuffle with other patrons, which Van Niekerk broke up.
Later that night another incident occurred outside the bar when Wotshela tried to run over Van Niekerk and the people he had allegedly fought with in the bar.
He then jumped out and tried to stab them. The bartender hit away Wotshela's hand holding the knife and gave him a slap with the side of his hand to the jaw. He fell and was resuscitated for about an hour before he died.
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