A 70-year-old individual was taken into custody last week following allegations of striking a six-year-old boy with his vehicle, resulting in fractures to both of the child’s legs.
Western Cape Police spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie, confirmed that the man faces charges of attempted murder alongside reckless and negligent driving.
The purported event took place on a Friday afternoon. According to Pojie, the young boy and his mother were traversing Station Road in Lutzville at approximately midday when a vehicle towing a trailer accelerated directly towards them, ultimately impacting the child.
Emergency services swiftly transported the injured boy to Vredendal Hospital. Subsequently, he was moved to the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital located in Cape Town for further treatment.
Investigations suggest that the child may have taken oranges from an orchard situated on a nearby farm, an act that seemingly provoked the farmer.
Christoffel Johannes Stoman appeared before the Vredendal Magistrate’s Court on Monday to address two counts of attempted murder in addition to a charge of reckless and negligent driving. Law enforcement officers from Lutzville apprehended Stoman after the incident in which six-year-old Kwezi Beukes was run over by a bakkie, leading to the severe injuries of both his legs.
The community remains concerned as authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragic event.
