Walvis Bay kidnappers found guilty
Four Walvis Bay Residents who held three boys captive for hours over the death of a puppy have been convicted of kidnapping and assault.
Walvis Bay residents Logan Pretorius, Sandra Riobo, Ashley Januarie and Curven Vries were found guilty on charges of kidnapping and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm on Friday.
The four kidnapped and assaulted Carlos Mukuve, Levi Goreseb and Edward Goreseb, who were minors at the time, after the boys had killed one of Pretorius's dogs and allegedly tried to steal another dog.
Carlos, Levi and Edward testified that they were physically and verbally abused with a 17-inch spanner, a hammer, a panga, a shovel and dogs, on 28 August 2014.
Pretorius and his co-accused chased the boys with his car and took them to his house in the Meersig residential area, where they assaulted and detained the minors for over five hours.
The three boys testified that they were forced to lie on their back while Pretorius poured Tabasco sauce over their faces, and were given salt water to drink, which caused them to vomit.
Delivering the judgment on Friday, Magistrate Gaynor Poulton said the State had proved that the four accused had taken the three boys without their consent and that of their parents. Pretorius testified that they took the boys to his garage to question them about the death of his seven-month-old pit bull puppy Miklo.
Pretorius testified that he asked the boys their parents' cellphone numbers but they pleaded with him not to tell their parents. According to him, Mukuve said, “just slap us and we'll go”.
Pretorius said he slapped and reprimanded the boys and then let them go. At midnight he saw the boys still in the area, asked them what they were still doing there and gave them N$20 to take a taxi home.
The defence based their case on discrepancies found in the testimonies of the three victims, who testified three years after the assault had taken place.
But Magistrate Poulton said it was hard to believe that Pretorius, his fiancé and friends would have kept the three boys in the garage for over five hours just to talk to them.
“The court has also taken into consideration the time that has passed between the night of 28 August and when the boys testified, as well as the suggestibility and imaginativeness of boys at the ages of 14 and 15,” she said.
She ruled that the State had also proved the charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, as the medical evidence corroborated the testimony of the three victims.
Sentencing is set for 10 June.
Boris Isaacs appeared for the defence and Teresia Hafeni for the State.
LEANDREA LOUW
The four kidnapped and assaulted Carlos Mukuve, Levi Goreseb and Edward Goreseb, who were minors at the time, after the boys had killed one of Pretorius's dogs and allegedly tried to steal another dog.
Carlos, Levi and Edward testified that they were physically and verbally abused with a 17-inch spanner, a hammer, a panga, a shovel and dogs, on 28 August 2014.
Pretorius and his co-accused chased the boys with his car and took them to his house in the Meersig residential area, where they assaulted and detained the minors for over five hours.
The three boys testified that they were forced to lie on their back while Pretorius poured Tabasco sauce over their faces, and were given salt water to drink, which caused them to vomit.
Delivering the judgment on Friday, Magistrate Gaynor Poulton said the State had proved that the four accused had taken the three boys without their consent and that of their parents. Pretorius testified that they took the boys to his garage to question them about the death of his seven-month-old pit bull puppy Miklo.
Pretorius testified that he asked the boys their parents' cellphone numbers but they pleaded with him not to tell their parents. According to him, Mukuve said, “just slap us and we'll go”.
Pretorius said he slapped and reprimanded the boys and then let them go. At midnight he saw the boys still in the area, asked them what they were still doing there and gave them N$20 to take a taxi home.
The defence based their case on discrepancies found in the testimonies of the three victims, who testified three years after the assault had taken place.
But Magistrate Poulton said it was hard to believe that Pretorius, his fiancé and friends would have kept the three boys in the garage for over five hours just to talk to them.
“The court has also taken into consideration the time that has passed between the night of 28 August and when the boys testified, as well as the suggestibility and imaginativeness of boys at the ages of 14 and 15,” she said.
She ruled that the State had also proved the charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, as the medical evidence corroborated the testimony of the three victims.
Sentencing is set for 10 June.
Boris Isaacs appeared for the defence and Teresia Hafeni for the State.
LEANDREA LOUW
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