Mosweu's mother breaks down in court as sentencing proceedings adjourned

Published Jan 29, 2019

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Mahikeng - Agnes Mosweu, the mother of murdered Coligny teenager Matlhomola Mosweu, shed tears in the North West High Court on Tuesday.

She was called to the stand to testify in aggravation of sentence against Pieter Doorewaard, 27, and Phillip Schutte, 34, who were convicted of killing Matlhomola. 

Prosecutor Rapula Molefe asked Mosweu how the death of her son had impacted her, to which she softly replied: "I was not feeling well. I am still not feeling well now." She then covered her face with her hands and sobbed.

Judge Ronnie Hendricks adjourned proceeding until Wednesday for Mosweu to regain her composure.

She had earlier told the court it was not necessary for her child to died over sunflower heads worth R80.

Before the adjournment, the defence told the court that their clients were not taken to Rooigrond prison near Mahikeng on Monday. Instead, they slept at the Mmabatho police cells, were not given food and slept on the floor. In the morning, they were given four slices of dry bread and coffee.

The chairperson of the Coligny Interdenominational Ministers' Association, Tshose Celo, told the court that the appropriate sentence for Doorewaard and Schutte was life imprisonment. He said he would be unhappy if the court did not hand out this sentence.

He refuted the defence's stance that Mosweu's death did not cause the violent protests in Coligny.

"The violent unrest was not caused by this death, but people were dissatisfied with the SA Police Service for not effecting arrest relating to the death,"  defence advocate Celice Zwiegelaar, acting for Doorewaard, said.  

"If you are correct, police officers reside amongst the people in Tlhabologang township, they [police officers] could have been attacked and their houses could have been burnt. No police officer was attacked," Celo said.

He said the situation in Coligny was calm and depended on the outcome of the court decision. Should residents not be happy with the sentence, the situation would be worse than in April 2017, when at least six houses were torched and shops looted, he said.

Doorewaard and Schutte were convicted of killing Mosweu and also found guilty of kidnapping, intimidation, theft and pointing of a firearm.

Celo, a former mayor of Coligny, said Mosweu's death had created a rift between the black and white communities in the town.

African News Agency (ANA)

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