'Black Mamba' gets bail
Boxer Willberforce Shihepo has been granted bail in a case where he faces four charges related to the death of a man and a child in a car crash.
A month after his alleged negligent driving led to the death of a six-year-old child and an adult man, former Namibian boxing champion Willberforce Shihepo was granted bail of N$7 000 by the Okahandja Magistrate's Court on Monday.
Shihepo faces four charges related to the accident that took place on Saturday, 28 October, shortly after 20:00 about 30km south of Okahandja.
He is charged with culpable homicide, another count of failing to stop at the scene, removing the vehicle from the position it came to rest and failing to ascertain the injuries of persons involved in the accident.
After his arrest, he initially faced additional charges of operating an unroadworthy vehicle and failing to render assistance to injured persons.
Those charges have been withdrawn in the meantime, an official at the court confirmed yesterday.
The official said it was not yet known whether Shihepo had posted bail.
The official said Shihepo had contracted a private lawyer employed at Sisa Namandje law firm.
Toivo Linda Teopoline Nghipuyoonda (6) and Likius Petrus (54) were instantly killed, when, as police suspect, Shihepo's metallic grey Jaguar crashed into the back of the Toyota sedan in which they had been travelling.
Medical teams at the scene tried to save their lives and were forced to reach them by using the Jaws of Life.
It was alleged that the Jaguar was unregistered at the time of the accident.
Earlier that same day, Black Mamba, as Shihepo was known in the ring, was allegedly stopped at the police checkpoint for a driving infraction.
Reports of the accident, and the fact that Shihepo had left the scene, led to a storm of outrage on social media.
The police launched an intense manhunt which eventually forced Shihepo to hand himself over on the Monday after the accident.
Shihepo was initially denied bail after his arrest.
Shihepo is a former World Boxing Organisation Africa super middleweight title holder.
The case has been postponed to 30 January 2018 for further investigation.
JANA-MARI SMITH
Shihepo faces four charges related to the accident that took place on Saturday, 28 October, shortly after 20:00 about 30km south of Okahandja.
He is charged with culpable homicide, another count of failing to stop at the scene, removing the vehicle from the position it came to rest and failing to ascertain the injuries of persons involved in the accident.
After his arrest, he initially faced additional charges of operating an unroadworthy vehicle and failing to render assistance to injured persons.
Those charges have been withdrawn in the meantime, an official at the court confirmed yesterday.
The official said it was not yet known whether Shihepo had posted bail.
The official said Shihepo had contracted a private lawyer employed at Sisa Namandje law firm.
Toivo Linda Teopoline Nghipuyoonda (6) and Likius Petrus (54) were instantly killed, when, as police suspect, Shihepo's metallic grey Jaguar crashed into the back of the Toyota sedan in which they had been travelling.
Medical teams at the scene tried to save their lives and were forced to reach them by using the Jaws of Life.
It was alleged that the Jaguar was unregistered at the time of the accident.
Earlier that same day, Black Mamba, as Shihepo was known in the ring, was allegedly stopped at the police checkpoint for a driving infraction.
Reports of the accident, and the fact that Shihepo had left the scene, led to a storm of outrage on social media.
The police launched an intense manhunt which eventually forced Shihepo to hand himself over on the Monday after the accident.
Shihepo was initially denied bail after his arrest.
Shihepo is a former World Boxing Organisation Africa super middleweight title holder.
The case has been postponed to 30 January 2018 for further investigation.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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