A violent rampage through a hotel in the picturesque village of Rhodes which led to a single mom allegedly being battered, and her children, mother and guests praying for their lives, is finally in court today.
The incident took place late at night on June 6 2013 when the historic Rhodes Hotel was filled with some of the 300 runners and supporters who had completed the gruelling but famous 42km Rhodes Trail run.
Hanri Jacobus Reeders, 47, of Manarou farm in the Rhodes district; Tiaan Myburg, 23, of Lovedale Farm, Rhodes area; and Michael Myburg, 23, of Moreston Farm in the Barkly East district, face charges ranging from assault to causing malicious damage to property.
According to the charge sheet, hotel manager Denra-Leigh Friess was beaten “with fists several times with the intent of causing her grievous bodily harm”.
Friess, 37, is alleged to have suffered injuries to her back during the incident and today struggles to lift her arms above shoulder height.
A further charge of malicious damage to property, states that the accused “did on June 6, 2013, at Rhodes Hotel, unlawfully and intentionally damage the front door of the property”.
Earlier media reports of the incident refer to room doors, windows, bar furniture and glasses being wrecked and a fire hydrant being set off blasting white powder over the bar area. Some of the runners packed up and left at 3am.
Asked why the case had taken so long to get to trial, district court prosecutor Zitho Sobekwa said that in terms of the backlog of cases, the case was not old.
Clerk of the court Nositho Gineka checked the records and said the case was first heard on March 4 this year, then on April 3, May 13, and July 1 – when it was set down for trial but was again postponed to August 12.
Sobekwa said he had not started leading evidence on July 1 because the complainant (Denra-Leigh Friess) was “not feeling well”.
But in an interview last week, Friess disputed this, alleging she was aware of a number of instances where official inefficiencies, both unintended and deliberate, were slowing the criminal justice process.
She said her complaints against the police started on the night when officers allegedly did not intervene effectively. Meanwhile, she said that while the case dragged on, she and her children, aged four and nine, had continued to suffer physical and emotional trauma.
Magistrate Pumeza Ngindo is set down to hear the matter. — mikel@dispatch.co.za
Farmers up for hotel rampage
A violent rampage through a hotel in the picturesque village of Rhodes which led to a single mom allegedly being battered, and her children, mother and guests praying for their lives, is finally in court today.
The incident took place late at night on June 6 2013 when the historic Rhodes Hotel was filled with some of the 300 runners and supporters who had completed the gruelling but famous 42km Rhodes Trail run.
Hanri Jacobus Reeders, 47, of Manarou farm in the Rhodes district; Tiaan Myburg, 23, of Lovedale Farm, Rhodes area; and Michael Myburg, 23, of Moreston Farm in the Barkly East district, face charges ranging from assault to causing malicious damage to property.
According to the charge sheet, hotel manager Denra-Leigh Friess was beaten “with fists several times with the intent of causing her grievous bodily harm”.
Friess, 37, is alleged to have suffered injuries to her back during the incident and today struggles to lift her arms above shoulder height.
A further charge of malicious damage to property, states that the accused “did on June 6, 2013, at Rhodes Hotel, unlawfully and intentionally damage the front door of the property”.
Earlier media reports of the incident refer to room doors, windows, bar furniture and glasses being wrecked and a fire hydrant being set off blasting white powder over the bar area. Some of the runners packed up and left at 3am.
Asked why the case had taken so long to get to trial, district court prosecutor Zitho Sobekwa said that in terms of the backlog of cases, the case was not old.
Clerk of the court Nositho Gineka checked the records and said the case was first heard on March 4 this year, then on April 3, May 13, and July 1 – when it was set down for trial but was again postponed to August 12.
Sobekwa said he had not started leading evidence on July 1 because the complainant (Denra-Leigh Friess) was “not feeling well”.
But in an interview last week, Friess disputed this, alleging she was aware of a number of instances where official inefficiencies, both unintended and deliberate, were slowing the criminal justice process.
She said her complaints against the police started on the night when officers allegedly did not intervene effectively. Meanwhile, she said that while the case dragged on, she and her children, aged four and nine, had continued to suffer physical and emotional trauma.
Magistrate Pumeza Ngindo is set down to hear the matter. — mikel@dispatch.co.za
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