Terrified of the large group of bikers waiting for him outside, the man accused of crashing into two Christian Motorcycle Association (CMA) bikers with a Hummer, leading to their deaths, was too scared to leave after the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court postponed his case on Tuesday.
It took Indi Chiyabu, 31, about an hour to emerge from the courtroom and face members of five of the 65 motorcycle clubs in the city. Chiyabu was escorted out of a rear exit from the building by court orderlies.
Smiley Joubert, chairman of the Pretoria Bikers Council, said outside the court that the motorcyclists wanted Chiyabu to know they were there.
“We are satisfied with how the case is progressing and we are pleased that the trial will start soon,” Joubert said.
The group included members of the CMA, Shambles, Phoenix MC, Shalom Riders and Sioux.
Shortly after Chiyabu left the court building, a group from the ANC Women’s League – who were at court for another case – protested in front of the building in favour of Chiyabu.
One of the women, Patricia Selamolela, said she thought the way the motorcyclists intimidated Chiyabu was wrong.
“He made a mistake and he will pay for his mistake. He did not plan to kill those men,” she said.
Chiyabu, from Dorandia, faces two counts of culpable homicide, with an alternative charge of reckless and negligent driving.
It is alleged that he crashed into Johannes Kruger, 32, and Pieter Coetzee, 60, and his son, also Pieter, in October 2010 while driving on the wrong side of the road on Rachel de Beer Street, Pretoria North.
The Hummer burst into flames shortly after the crash and it is alleged that Chiyabu fled the scene.
He apparently handed himself over to police a week later, but was not detained.
Kruger and Coetzee sr died at the scene.
Coetzee jr had serious head and back injuries and his right leg had to be amputated above the knee.
Chiyabu has yet to plead and the case was postponed to February 8 for trial. - Pretoria News