The Western Cape High Court has denied an appeal by an elderly Lutzville farmer accused of mowing down a six-year-old boy with his bakkie and breaking his legs.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, says the application by Christoffel Stoman, 70, to appeal his bail denial was handed down on Friday.
Stoman returned to the Lutzville Magistrates Court yesterday where he is facing two counts of attempted murder and a charge of reckless and negligent driving after six-year-old Khwezi Jantjies was run over with a bakkie, breaking both the child’s legs.
Billy Claasen of the Rural and Farmworkers Development Organisation said the boy was walking with his mother Magrieta when the incident occurred. His mother was not injured.
The child subsequently underwent surgery and a petition signed by more than 1 500 residents to keep the farmer behind bars was handed in at court.
Ntabazalila explains after his bail was denied in October, Stoman returned to the Lutzville Magistrate Court and applied for bail based on new facts on 5 November.
“The bail application on facts proceeded and Judgement was handed down on the same day. Bail application on new facts was denied.”
Stoman then lodged his appeal at the Western Cape High Court, which was dismissed on Friday.
Ntabazalila said the matter was postponed to the 13 January 2025 for a Regional Court date.
Stoman remains in custody.
monique.duval@inl.co.za