KFC assault three spend another weekend behind bars

18 August 2017 - 18:24 By Ernest Mabuza
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One of the six men is seen assaulting a man outside a KFC in Montana, north of Pretoria.
One of the six men is seen assaulting a man outside a KFC in Montana, north of Pretoria.
Image: Facebook

Three men arrested for an alleged assault of a couple at a chicken outlet a few weeks ago will spend another week behind bars‚ because their bail application was not completed on Friday.

On Friday‚ the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court on Friday postponed the bail bid by Stephan Nel‚ 39‚ DJ van Rooyen‚ 21‚ and Joshua Schultz‚ 21‚ until next Wednesday because an investigating officer’s testimony was not completed.

Two other men arrested for the attack also appeared in court. Ockert Muller‚ 20‚ was released on bail a day after the incident and Marius Harding‚ 21‚ abandoned his bail bid.

All five men have been charged with attempted murder‚ assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and pointing of a firearm. The state is opposing bail.

The incident‚ parts of which were filmed‚ occurred at a KFC drive-through outlet in Pretoria on August 3. It showed an altercation between the couple‚ Dudu and Jacob Sono‚ and the accused.

A video of the incident was spread widely on social media‚ leading to some who viewed it - including Police Minister Fikile Mbalula - to describe it as a racial attack.

Nel‚ Van Rooyen and Schultz denied it was a racial incident.

The court heard on Friday that the Sinoville Police Station in Pretoria dealt with between eight to 10 cases of racial assault in the area each month.

Warrant Officer Ravi Naidoo told the court: "I do see incidents of this nature of assaults between different race groups. It is either white on black or black on white."

He said he had spoken to Jacob Sono about his attitude towards granting the three accused bail.

"The complainant has indicated he is scared. He is still in a state of shock about what had transpired‚" said Naidoo.

He said Sono had told him he feared for the safety of his wife‚ his children and himself if the accused were released on bail. The accused lived in the same area as Sono and his family.

Nel’s lawyer Nols Nolte asked Naidoo why the police opposed bail.

Naidoo said this was because of the public outcry about the incident.

Nolte asked Naidoo whether there was a public outcry when Muller was released on bail. Naidoo replied he was not aware of any public outcry.

Nolte asked if this case took two years to be finalised‚ would it be fair for the accused - who are presumed to be innocent - to remain in custody.

Naidoo said this was for the court to decide.

Nolte also questioned why this case had been described as a racial incident when there was no mention in the charge sheet of any racist remarks made.

"This is not a race issue. It is coincidental thatched complainants are black and the accused are white?" Nolte asked Naidoo.

Naidoo agreed.

William Tladi‚ an investigating officer‚ told the court that the police opposed the bail for the accused because Sono sustained serious injuries after being hit by the men‚ one of whom used his firearm.

Tladi said Nel pointed a firearm at Sono while the four other accused assaulted him.

Tladi said Dudu Sono wrote in her statement that she was insulted by the men.

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