The Western Cape High Court has dismissed the appeal submitted by Christoffel Stoman, a 70-year-old farmer from Lutzville, who stands accused of running over a six-year-old boy with his bakkie, resulting in the child sustaining broken legs.
Stoman faces two counts of attempted murder in addition to a charge of reckless and negligent driving. The unfortunate incident occurred while the young boy, Khwezi Jantjies, was walking with his mother, Magrieta, who fortunately escaped unharmed.
Eric Ntabazalila, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), commented on the legal developments, stating,
“The application by Christoffel Stoman, 70, to appeal his bail denial was handed down on Friday.”
After his initial bail was denied in October, Stoman appeared before the Lutzville Magistrates Court once more, seeking bail based on new information on 5 November. Ntabazalila further explained,
“The bail application on facts proceeded and Judgement was handed down on the same day. Bail application on new facts was denied.”
Following the rejection of his bail application, Stoman filed an appeal with the Western Cape High Court. However, the court upheld the denial on Friday, and the case is now slated for a Regional Court hearing on 13 January 2025. In the meantime, Stoman remains in custody.
The incident has had a profound impact on the Lutzville community. Khwezi underwent surgery to address his injuries, and in a show of solidarity, over 1,500 residents signed a petition urging that the farmer remain behind bars. Billy Claasen of the Rural and Farmworkers Development Organisation highlighted that the boy was accompanied by his mother at the time of the accident, emphasizing the gravity of the situation and the community’s demand for justice.
