Case against farmer who 'drove into' boy suspected of stealing oranges moves to regional court

An attempted murder and reckless and negligent driving case against a 70-year-old farmer who allegedly drove into a child he suspected of stealing oranges — breaking his legs — has been transferred to the regional court in the Western Cape.

Christoffel Stoman appeared in the Vredendal magistrate's court, about 300km north of Cape Town, on Thursday.

Six-year-old Khwezi Jantjies was injured while walking with his mother Magdalene Jantjies during the incident on September 20 in Lutzville.

The court previously heard testimony from Stoman's wife Magdalene, 75, who was in the vehicle with her husband and grandchild on the day. They were returning home from a doctor’s appointment in Cape Town.

She told her husband to stop the vehicle after seeing the child's hands through their fence but screamed when she saw Khwezi under the vehicle and told her husband to reverse. When they alighted, Jantjies was under the front bumper.

Magdalene told the court she asked the child’s mother if they needed help, but she declined. She said her husband was angry about the alleged theft of oranges.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said: “The accused lodged an appeal against bail refusal at the Western Cape High Court and ... his appeal was dismissed.”

Billy Claasen, executive director of the Rural and Farmworkers Development Organisation, previously told TimesLIVE the child underwent an operation on his legs.

The court heard that the police investigation was complete and that Stoman would remain in custody until his next appearance on January 13 in the Vredendal regional court. 

TimesLIVE