The murder trial of four minors and four adults who allegedly assaulted 28-year-old Thoriso Themane in 2019 is expected to continue on Wednesday morning at the High Court in Polokwane.
Themane was assaulted at the Fauna Park suburb of Polokwane in Limpopo and later died in hospital. The minors were allegedly accusing him of taking a cap that belonged to one of the children.
Some adults joined in the attack as Themane was running trying to escape from the mob. National Prosecuting Authority Spokesperson, Mashudu Dzhangi-Malabi, says one of the minors testified in camera on Tuesday.
“Four minors and four adults appeared before Judge Semenya in Polokwane High Court for brutally attacking Thoriso Themane in 2019. Child offender number one took the a stand and denied all evidence said he never assaulted the deceased although he was at the scene however he admitted the deceased was kicked while he was at Mr Mare’s homestead,” says Dzhangi-Malabi.
The rest of the trial will be held in camera as most of the accused are minors.
The adults are out on bail and the minors were released under parental care.
Themane’s brutal assault was recorded on a cell phone video that went viral on social media, sparking public outcry.
Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo speaks about the case after suspects were apprehended back in 2019:
