Farm manager denies seeing or trying to run over farmworker

The state has accused Limpopo farm manager Mark Scott-Crossley of intending to kill a farmworker when he allegedly became enraged after an altercation.

Prosecutor Erick Mabapa put it to Scott-Crossley in the Lenyenye magistrate’s court on Monday that he didn’t lose control of his Jeep but intentionally aimed it at Silence Mabunda, 37, whom he allegedly ran over and broke his cellphone. 

“I tell you that you didn’t lose control of your car but you wanted to kill Mabunda and you failed. You even failed to call the police and the reasons are known to you,” Mabapa said.

The state alleges Scott-Crossley ran over Mabunda in what appeared to be a racially-motivated altercation in the vicinity of Hoedspruit, Limpopo, in 2016.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Mabapa said Scott-Crossley had failed to control his anger on the day of the incident. However, Scott-Crossley denied this, emphasising he lost control of the car and it was a mistake on his part.

Defence lawyer Karl van Tonder told the court three journalists who had initially interviewed Mabunda would be called to testify.

“We have called in three reporters to testify because part of the evidence led in court is what Mabunda told the journalists. There have been various versions of the incident in the media,” he said.

Magistrate Carol Hownana postponed the matter to Tuesday to allow the defence to re-examine the state cross-examination and for new witnesses.

Earlier in the day, Scott-Crossley, an ex-convict, told the court he believes Mabunda fell into a hole and broke his leg.

“I believe Mabunda fell in a hole and got injured. He was found under a small tree and for me it doesn’t make sense because after the accident I initially checked the spot and there was no-one.

“Then someone came and found him exactly where I looked. I don’t think he was hit by a car,” he said.

This came after Mabapa had asked him to give an account of what happened on the day.

Mabapa lashed out at Scott-Crossley for believing that Mabunda fell in a hole when he had left the scene after the accident.

“How can you dispute that Mabunda was hit by a car when you were not there?”

Scott-Crossley responded by saying he was just giving his opinion. 

Mabapa grilled the former lion farmer on why he chose to call his attorney moments after crashing into a wall and not the police.

“You and your counsel didn’t report the accident to the police and 14 days after the incident, you handed yourself over to the police. I put it to you that you called your lawyer because you wanted to make sure you don’t get into trouble,” he said.

Scott-Crossley said he called his attorney for legal advice and didn’t know it was a police matter. “I called my lawyer and set up a meeting in Johannesburg as I was going on holiday,” he said.

Scott-Crossley told the court he was yet to meet the property owner after his Jeep knocked down a wall.

The trial continues.

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