The murder trial of six teenagers and two men who allegedly assaulted and killed 28-year-old Thoriso Themane two years ago has been postponed for judgment.
Themane was assaulted at Fauna Park, a suburb of Polokwane, Limpopo, and later died in hospital in 2019.
The minors allegedly accused Thoriso of taking a cap that belonged to one of the young offenders.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson in Limpopo Mashudu Malabi-Dzangi said the six teenagers and two adults appeared before Deputy Judge President Matsaro Semenya in the Polokwane High Court for brutally attacking Themane and their case had been postponed to Wednesday for judgment.
“The two adults, accused Chuene Maleka and Alfred Mothapo, took the stand and denied all the allegations against them and said they never assaulted the deceased, although they were at the scene. The two adults testified that Themane was assaulted by the younger offenders while he was outside Mothapo’s homestead,” she said.
She said the pair told the court that they could not stop the fight as they were outnumbered by the teens.
“However, one of their friends, who was in the car with a baby, was trying to call the police but police never arrived at the scene.
“Previously, it was the evidence of the state witness and the child offender that the two adults also assaulted the deceased and one of them also hit Themane with a car jack,” said Malabi-Dzangi.
Thoriso Themane murder trial judgment imminent
Six teenagers and two men accused of 2019 killing
The murder trial of six teenagers and two men who allegedly assaulted and killed 28-year-old Thoriso Themane two years ago has been postponed for judgment.
Themane was assaulted at Fauna Park, a suburb of Polokwane, Limpopo, and later died in hospital in 2019.
The minors allegedly accused Thoriso of taking a cap that belonged to one of the young offenders.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson in Limpopo Mashudu Malabi-Dzangi said the six teenagers and two adults appeared before Deputy Judge President Matsaro Semenya in the Polokwane High Court for brutally attacking Themane and their case had been postponed to Wednesday for judgment.
“The two adults, accused Chuene Maleka and Alfred Mothapo, took the stand and denied all the allegations against them and said they never assaulted the deceased, although they were at the scene. The two adults testified that Themane was assaulted by the younger offenders while he was outside Mothapo’s homestead,” she said.
She said the pair told the court that they could not stop the fight as they were outnumbered by the teens.
“However, one of their friends, who was in the car with a baby, was trying to call the police but police never arrived at the scene.
“Previously, it was the evidence of the state witness and the child offender that the two adults also assaulted the deceased and one of them also hit Themane with a car jack,” said Malabi-Dzangi.
One of Thoriso Themane's attackers turns state witness and testifies against co-accused
She further said that the legal representative of two of the teenagers had submitted a plea statement alleging that they had slapped the deceased and kicked him out of their vehicle before leaving the scene while the group of minors continued assaulting Themane.
“After the arguments, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Adv Mashudu Mudau submitted that there was evidence linking the child offenders to the charge of murder as they were participating from stage one, even inviting another group to join them to assault the deceased. He further said child offender No 3 had even called the other group to come and see how ‘big five commits murder’,” said Malabi-Dzangi
Maleka and Mothapo are out on bail and the minors were released into the care of their parents.
Themane’s brutal assault was recorded on a cellphone video that went viral on social media.
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