Court hears shocking details of abuse against a four-month-old baby
Image: Zelda Venter
The grandmother of a four-month-old baby who was allegedly abused by her daughter and the child's father told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, that her daughter sounded very afraid when she called for help, as the baby struggled to breathe.
According to the witness, who cannot be identified to safeguard the identity of the now nearly five-year-old, her daughter called her on October 25, 2020, when the baby was barely four months old, to urgently come and assist her with the child.
It was later discovered that the baby, only identified as Baby M, had numerous fractures, some of which were very old.
According to the prosecution, the couple - the biological parents of the boy - had abused him since birth.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Next
Stay
Close ✕
The couple, however, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and child abuse. Apart from offering a bare denial, they did not offer an explanation of the plea and said the prosecution had to prove its case against them.
The child was removed from the care of the parents shortly after landing in hospital for several weeks in 2020.
The grandmother testified that her daughter was scared of her boyfriend, and she asked them to hurry. When they got to the flat in Sunnyside where the couple lived, they found the baby in his crib. He appeared to have broken ribs as well as bruises on his face.
The court was told that they had rushed him to the Pretoria West Hospital, where he remained for several weeks. The couple was subsequently arrested.
A doctor who saw the child stated to the police at the time that he recorded that Baby M had multiple bruises on his face and upper body, which were brown, indicative that they were older injuries.
He also had a swollen and painful right leg, which was later confirmed as being broken. The baby also had three broken ribs. There was an older-looking laceration behind the baby's right ear, which was already forming scars on the edges. In general, the doctor noted, the baby seemed lethargic and in respiratory distress.
While the grandmother of the baby claimed that her daughter was afraid of her boyfriend, the latter told another witness that she (the child's mother) always blamed him as being the aggressor, but this was not true.
According to the boyfriend, she would hurt herself and then 'start shouting' that he had assaulted her. He also told the friend that before October 2020, when she phoned her family to come and help with the child, he had noted that the baby had some broken ribs. But, according to the father, he tried to take the child to three different hospitals, but no one was prepared to help them, as it was during Covid.
Another witness, meanwhile, told the court that the couple was using drugs, especially crystal meth. Although the court was told that the woman feared the father of her child, the couple seemed very close in court on Wednesday, as they sat huddled together in the dock and whispered into each other's ears.
Meanwhile, a doctor is expected to be called later this week to testify in detail about the baby's injuries and what could have caused them.
Proceeding.
zelda.venter@inl.co.za
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
R3. 3m awarded to municipal manager amid VBS corruption scandal
The West Rand District Municipality must pay its former municipal manager R3.3 million for terminating his contract despite him facing corruption charges of unlawfully investing R347m of its funds with the VBS Mutual Bank. Image: West Rand District Municipality / Facebook Former West Rand District municipal manager Moroashike Mokoena is set to be paid nearly R3.3 million by the municipality for terminating his contract while facing corruption charges of unlawfully investing R347m with the VBS Mutual Bank. Mokoena, 64, along with former chief financial officer (CFO) Romeo Mohaudi and erstwhile income and expenditure manager Mzwandile Mkhize, were arrested in June 2021 by the Hawks. Mokoena faces charges of authorising the municipality to invest more than R347m with the now defunct financial institution and the approval of various investment policies from time to time in contravention of the Municipal Financial Management Act (MFMA). At the time, the Hawks stated that Mohaudi caused R50m to be invested with VBS in contravention of the MFMA and the investment policy adopted by the Merafong Local Municipality. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The elaborate scheme saw the senior managers allegedly facilitating the investments and receiving corrupt gratifications from VBS officials through motor vehicle finance and mortgage bond facilities, as well as several other payments. Mokoena and the other former officials were later released on R50,000 bail each by the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the case will return to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, next month for the continuation of the trial. Earlier, the West Rand District Municipality had, through an October 2019 council resolution, suspended Mokoena for three months based on how he managed the appointment process for the CFO. In December 2019, an investigation commissioned by the municipality recommended that Mokoena face disciplinary action should it be established that his contract has not lapsed. The following month, the municipality informed Mokoena that his appointment had lapsed in terms of the Municipal Systems Act after accusing him of failing to sign his performance agreement within 60 days, and as a consequence, there was no valid and binding contract of employment. Mokoena then referred an unfair dismissal dispute to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, and a certificate of outcome certifying the matter as unresolved was issued. He then approached the Labour Court in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, to review and set aside the council resolution and to declare the termination of employment invalid. The Labour Court found that the municipality's letter informing Mokoena that his contract, which ran from December 2016 to November 2021, had lapsed was based on an incorrect interpretation of the law and facts. 'The applicant's (Mokoena's) contract of employment did not lapse as alleged. His contract of employment was therefore terminated by the first respondent (municipality), and that act of termination was invalid. Accordingly, the applicant's contract of employment remained extant (in existence) and he is therefore entitled to his declaratory relief,' Judge Molatelo Makhura ruled last month. The judge said that in the event that Mokoena's appointment lapsed, the municipality was duty-bound to allow him to show good cause, but failed to do so. Judge Makhura stated that he could not order Mokoena to resume his duties, and the municipality cannot be ordered to permit him to resume his duties because the fixed period has expired. He said the appropriate relief was the payment of Mokoena's remuneration for the remainder of his contract, between January 17, 2020 and November, 30 2021, which is an amount of just above R3.28m. 'The termination of the applicant's fixed-term contract of employment on January 17, 2020 is hereby declared invalid and/or void ab initio (from the beginning). 'It is declared that the fixed-term contract of employment between the applicant (Mokoena) and the first respondent (West Rand District Municipality) remained extant (in existence) and the applicant remained the first respondent's employee and municipal manager until 30 November 2021,' ordered Judge Makhura. Mokoena's successor as municipal manager, Elias Koloi, said he was on leave and undertook to delegate another official to respond, but no response was forthcoming. Abner Mabaso, Mokoena's legal representative, referred questions to the municipality.
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Court orders mental evaluation for diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg after courtroom outburst
Zelda Venter | Published 49 minutes ago Following a verbal outburst in court this week by diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg, the 61-year-old will now have to undergo a 30-day mental evaluation at Pretoria's Weskoppies Hospital. The Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate's Court decided to refer Liebenberg in this way , although a doctor who had evaluated him on Thursday morning did not recommend that he be referred for psychiatric observation. The magistrate hearing his bail application on Wednesday ordered that he had to see a doctor so that the latter could determine whether Liebenberg understood the court procedures. This was after what was supposed to be his bail application, conducted by himself, ended in chaos. Instead of arguing for bail, Liebenberg heatedly accused the magistrate, the prosecution, and correctional services of bullying him. During Thursday's proceedings, the magistrate told Liebenberg that the doctor probably saw him for half an hour or so, and cleared him to conduct his trial . But, after the previous day's actions where Liebenberg 'disrespected' the court and used 'foul' language, the final decision is with the court on whether to send him for mental observation. The magistrate said she needed to be sure that Liebenberg fully understood the court proceedings; thus, it is necessary to send him for an evaluation. The court further ordered that Legal Aid South Africa had to appoint a lawyer, free of charge, to represent Liebenberg. This is after his lawyer withdrew his services due to non-payment. Liebenberg, in turn, told the magistrate that he wanted her removed from his matter, as he claimed she was biased towards him. The matter was meanwhile postponed to August 29 to ascertain when a bed will be available at Weskoppies for Liebenberg. Apart from using foul language in court on Wednesday and telling the magistrate that she sounded like his mother, Liebenberg also addressed the fact that he had to address her as 'your worship". 'The Bible says clearly that I cannot worship anyone apart from God… We got this thing (calling a magistrate your worship) from England. It does not mean I don't have respect, but I have a problem calling someone 'worship' . We are in Africa. We have potholes. We are falling apart. And we are worshipping one another…,' Liebenberg told the magistrate. The magistrate on Wednesday, time and again told Liebenberg to get on with his bail application. She eventually ordered that he be seen by a doctor as he simply vented on. [email protected]
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
SAPS urged to address misinformation on farm attacks and genocide claims
The Institute for Security Studies says police and agricultural unions should correct misinformation and the false narrative regarding genocide and farm murders in South Africa. Image: David Ritchie, ANA The SAPS, agricultural unions and private security firms have been requested to debunk and correct the misinformation and false narratives circulating on social media and other platforms on farm attacks in South Africa. A policy brief released by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) found that there is no evidence of any form of genocide taking place in the country. The institute added that white people are statistically less at risk of violent crime than other racial groups as it explains why the country is so violent and why there is no evidence of a genocide. This comes after the US State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) claimed that attacks on farms display a distinctly brutal pattern. The bureau claimed that these were not ordinary crimes, adding that in some documented cases, reports detail victims tortured or killed without anything being stolen. The bureau said local sources reported 296 farm attacks and 49 murders in 2023, adding that victims are disproportionately elderly, isolated and face delayed police response. AfriForum said the report confirmed what the organisation had been emphasising for years, that farm attacks are not ordinary crimes. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The organisation added that farm attacks are brutal, targeted attacks that are often accompanied by torture, murder without anything being stolen and politically charged rhetoric such as the 'Kill the Boer' slogan. However, the ISS, through its policy brief, found that a vast majority of farm attacks were motivated by robbery, not racial hatred, saying agricultural unions, the SAPS, private security and community leaders should actively counter misinformation and false narratives circulating via social media and other platforms. AfriForum's chief spokesperson for Community Safety, Jacques Broodryk, said it has never been the organisation's position that there is genocide taking place in South Africa, adding their position is that there are unique elements to farm attacks that justify classifying it a 'priority crime', in the same way that taxi violence, gender based violence and illegal mining are classified as 'priority crimes' due to their unique nature. 'There are however genocidal calls made by influential figures such as the chanting of Kill the Boer, Kill the farmer. The chanting of the slogan has been directly linked to attacks on farms. If one however looks at the US's legal definition of genocide, it is understandable why US officials can refer to farm attacks as a genocide,' he said. ISS added that of the 49 who were killed on farms in 2023, not all victims were farmers, adding that the figure represents 0.2% of 27,621 murders reported during that period. 'Half of all murders in South Africa occurred in just 12% of police precincts. Most of these high murder areas are townships in metropolitan areas inhabited largely by black residents,' the institution said. Agri SA executive officer Johann Kotze declined to comment. Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said she was waiting for a response from her colleagues. The ISS said the idea of a 'white genocide' has been around for many years, propagated by fringe or extremist groups. However, there is no credible evidence to support claims of a 'white genocide' or any form of genocide taking place in South Africa. It added that multiple independent investigations have found no systematic or organised targeting of white people or farmers based on race or ethnicity, nor any indication that attacks aim to destroy an ethnic group or drive farmers from their land. 'These investigations include the 2003 Committee of Inquiry into Farm Attacks and the 2014 South African Human Rights Commission National Investigative Hearings into Safety and Security Challenges in Farming Communities,' ISS said. The institute added that South Africa's crime statistics show that most armed violent crime occurs in urban areas, mostly in public spaces such as streets or parks, but also in homes and businesses. 'Murder victimisation correlates more with class, gender and location than race. Lower income and high inequality are linked to higher rates of crime and violence. About half of all murders take place in just 12% of SAPS precincts, and 20% in fewer than 3% of stations – 30 in total,' said the ISS, adding that these areas are mostly townships or poor urban communities, mostly populated by coloured or black African people.
