Farmer faces lesser charge for shooting girl in arm

Published Jul 17, 2017

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Swartruggens - A 33-year-old man, accused of shooting and wounding an 11-year-old girl, briefly appeared in the Swartruggens Magistrate's Court on Monday.

The prosecution told the court that Johannes Steyn would face a charge of negligent use of a firearm and assault with the intend to do grievous bodily harm and his bail application was not opposed. The police initially charged him with attempted murder.

Steyn was released on R3000 bail and the case against him was postponed to September 27, for investigation.

He allegedly shot Kefeditse Ngobeni in the arm on July 12, injuring her. The girl and her friends went to the farm fetch firewood, when Steyn allegedly shouted and ordered them to stop but they ran away in different directions.

Ngobeni realised that she was bleeding from the left arm.  She immediately reported the incident to her mother on arrival at home, and was rushed to the hospital for medical treatment.

Her parents notified the police of the incident and Steyn handed himself to the police on July 13.

The State did not oppose the bail application stating that Steyn was not a flight risk, and he had no previous conviction or pending cases.

His family was in court and paid the bail money immediately after the court adjourned, Ngoboni's family were not present during the bail application.

-African News Agency (ANA). 

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