Ford goes to court to get police docket in to Kuga death

11 January 2017 - 15:20 By Graeme Hosken
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Lawyers for embattled car manufacturer‚ Ford‚ are insistent that they be given access to a police docket into the death of one of its consumers.

The rear Ford Kuga logo
The rear Ford Kuga logo
Image: SUPPLIED

Claudo Bollo‚ of the law firm BBM‚ which represents Ford‚ told TMG Digital outside the Cape Town High Court on Wednesday morning that they were prepared for the matter.

Ford launched an urgent court application in December to be granted access to all evidence contained in the inquest docket into the death of Reshall Jimmy.

Jimmy‚ 33‚ was burnt alive in his Ford Kuga in December 2015 while on holiday in the Wilderness in the Western Cape.

Forensic investigators hired by the Jimmy family‚ and police and insurance fire experts‚ believe a wiring fault in the dashboard of his car led to his death.

Ford claims the fire started at the rear of the car.

Since Jimmy's death‚ at least 44 other Ford Kugas have caught alight on South Africa's roads. At least nine of these have caught fire in January.

Bollo‚ speaking outside court‚ said that they had gone the urgent application route “because every day people are accusing our client of things”.

“All we are seeking are the necessary documents to help us establish the cause of the fires.

"We need and want to get to the bottom of this."

The matter is due to be heard later on Wednesday afternoon.

- TMG Digital

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