Durban - After two years of anguish and unanswered questions, a grieving widow finally got closure on her husband’s death by facing - and then forgiving - the man responsible, former SABC soccer presenter Kwena Moabelo.
Cathy Webster, 52, embraced Moabelo in the corridor of the Durban Magistrate’s Court on .
Earlier, the court heard how the vehicle which Moabelo had been driving collided with motorcyclist, Marcelle Sookul, 53, near Botanic Gardens on the night of October 21, 2012, killing him.
An emotional Moabelo broke down several times crying for forgiveness, as he pleaded guilty to culpable homicide.
He was spared jail time as Webster told the court during his sentencing that she accepted his apology, forgave him and that she didn’t want to see him sent to prison as he also had a family.
Moabelo was given a three-year suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay the Webster family R30 000 in monthly instalments of R1 000.
In his guilty plea, Moabelo, 39, of North Riding, Johannesburg, testified that he had volunteered to help drive home his drunken colleague after they had completed a work assignment for the SABC. He said that at about 11pm that night they got lost.
He decided to make a U-turn at the entrance of Waynes Avenue. He was in the process of turning and crossing on to the southbound lane when his vehicle collided with a motorcycle that was travelling north.
“I realised that there had been a collision and I was extremely shocked. I alighted the motor vehicle and as I surveyed the damages on the car, I noticed the motorcyclist was lying on the side of the road,” Moabelo said.
“I noted he was not moving and as I was also shaken up, I remained at the side of my car while my colleague called the police for help.
“The ambulance and police arrived and I was later informed that the motorcyclist had succumbed to his injuries.”
Continually weeping on the stand, Moabelo admitted he was negligent and that his unlawful actions had caused Webster’s death.
He said it had been a very painful experience and he begged the family for forgiveness.
“I wish I could take back the time to prevent what happened. I was raised as a good Christian with moral values and I keep asking God why did it happen? Please find it in your hearts to forgive me. I am truly, truly sorry,” he cried.
Moabelo also testified that he had suffered considerable financial losses since the accident as he lost his job as a permanent employee with the SABC, earning up to R80 000 a month.
He said the broadcaster terminated his contract because his “credibility was destroyed”. He had to resort to being a freelance journalist and TV presenter.
Webster fought for more than a year to have the charges reinstated after they were initially dropped a few months after the accident.
She said she initially launched a complaint with state prosecutor Krishen Shah which eventually resulted in the case being reinstated.
Webster testified that the past two years were extremely traumatic on the family because they were in the dark about court proceedings. She said she was shocked when she read a report in the Daily Sun last year of Moabelo being glad that he could move on with his life after the charges against him were withdrawn.
Daily News