Doctor remains behind bars
Dr Yevai Chiradza, the suspended Otjiwarongo doctor accused of culpable homicide related to a fatal 2015 car crash that killed three people, in addition to a recent charge of reckless driving, will remain behind bars in Karibib until a formal bail application can proceed.
A date for the formal bail hearing has not yet been confirmed.
Chiradza has been in custody since Friday, after he handed himself over to the police in Windhoek. Later on Friday he was transferred to the Karibib police cells.
This followed the issuing of a warrant of arrest for failure to appear before court on 7 and 8 March in the culpable homicide case.
On 8 March, when Chiradza was supposed to be in court at Karibib, video footage of him driving erratically on the road between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo went viral.
He was immediately suspended from the Otjiwarongo state hospital and was charged with reckless and negligent driving.
The 2015 culpable homicide case relates to a fatal accident on the Karibib-Usakos road in July that year, which claimed the lives of Konrad Louw, Welmine Louw and Alet Junius.
Chiradza's car sideswiped the car in which the deceased and two surviving family members were travelling.
On Monday, the magistrate's court set a final date for the culpable homicide case to be heard, namely 25 and 26 June this year, after it had been postponed three times.
Chiradza told the court that the reason he did not appear on 7 and 8 March was because he was “confused” regarding the dates and, furthermore, he told the magistrate the delay in handing himself over was caused by a “medical condition”.
The family of the deceased told Nampa last week the fact that Chiradza was caught driving recklessly on the day the culpable homicide case was supposed to continue, had angered the family.
Norelle Louw, whose mother, brother and aunt died in that accident, told Nampa that if the law was just, then Chiradza “would not own a driver's licence today and would be in jail for the multiple deaths he caused by his bad driving”.
Witness statements included in the police report alleged that Chiradza's car had been driving in the wrong lane immediately before the accident.
According to the accident report, Chiradza told the police his front tyre had burst, causing him to lose control and sideswiping two oncoming vehicles.
It further emerged last week that Chiradza is being investigated by the Health Professions Council after allegations of abuse of addictive drugs were made against him.
Moreover, the Otjiwarongo state hospital, where the doctor is employed, is investigating a case of drug theft.
JANA-MARI SMITH
A date for the formal bail hearing has not yet been confirmed.
Chiradza has been in custody since Friday, after he handed himself over to the police in Windhoek. Later on Friday he was transferred to the Karibib police cells.
This followed the issuing of a warrant of arrest for failure to appear before court on 7 and 8 March in the culpable homicide case.
On 8 March, when Chiradza was supposed to be in court at Karibib, video footage of him driving erratically on the road between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo went viral.
He was immediately suspended from the Otjiwarongo state hospital and was charged with reckless and negligent driving.
The 2015 culpable homicide case relates to a fatal accident on the Karibib-Usakos road in July that year, which claimed the lives of Konrad Louw, Welmine Louw and Alet Junius.
Chiradza's car sideswiped the car in which the deceased and two surviving family members were travelling.
On Monday, the magistrate's court set a final date for the culpable homicide case to be heard, namely 25 and 26 June this year, after it had been postponed three times.
Chiradza told the court that the reason he did not appear on 7 and 8 March was because he was “confused” regarding the dates and, furthermore, he told the magistrate the delay in handing himself over was caused by a “medical condition”.
The family of the deceased told Nampa last week the fact that Chiradza was caught driving recklessly on the day the culpable homicide case was supposed to continue, had angered the family.
Norelle Louw, whose mother, brother and aunt died in that accident, told Nampa that if the law was just, then Chiradza “would not own a driver's licence today and would be in jail for the multiple deaths he caused by his bad driving”.
Witness statements included in the police report alleged that Chiradza's car had been driving in the wrong lane immediately before the accident.
According to the accident report, Chiradza told the police his front tyre had burst, causing him to lose control and sideswiping two oncoming vehicles.
It further emerged last week that Chiradza is being investigated by the Health Professions Council after allegations of abuse of addictive drugs were made against him.
Moreover, the Otjiwarongo state hospital, where the doctor is employed, is investigating a case of drug theft.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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