Coligny sunflower murder had no relation to race, court hears

Published Jan 31, 2019

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Mahikeng - The murder of Coligny teenager Matlhomola Mosweu was not racially motivated, the North West High Court heard on Thursday.

"Accused number one and two denied that the death of the deceased was caused by racism. There is no evidence presented during the trial that the death was racially motivated, there was not even a suggestion that it was racial. To them [accused] it was a shocking experience," advocate Celice Zwiegelaar told the court.

She was arguing in mitigation of sentence in the trial of Pieter Doorewaard, 27, and Phillip Schutte,34, convicted of killing Matlhomola Mosweu, 16, of Scotland informal settlement in Coligny on April 20, 2017. They have also been found guilty of kidnapping, intimidation, theft and pointing of a firearm.

The pair pushed Mosweu out of a moving van after they caught him stealing sunflower heads at their employer's field at Rietvlei farm.

Zwiegelaar, who is acting for Doorewaard, told the court he had shown remorse and the court should take that into account when considering the sentence.

"In sentencing, the court should consider what the society needs and not what the society wants," she said.

"The society in this matter, does not need life imprisonment. My lord, I am not saying accused one should not be punished. The society in this matter does not need life imprisonment as far as count one is concerned," Zwiegelaar said.

She said that two laypersons had testified in court and wanted revenge as punishment.

She told the court that Doorewaard has a clean criminal record, handed himself over to police and also surrendered his van to them.

Sentencing proceedings continue.

African News Agency (ANA)

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