The bail hearing of a Limpopo farmer accused of assaulting two alleged trespassers at his farm had his bail application adjourned to Friday, in the Mookgophong Magistrate’s Court. This is to enable the investigating officer to profile the accused, Hendrik Geyser.
Police say the farmer and his son allegedly assaulted two trespassers, who were fishing in the dam.
One managed to escape, and police say the other victim was later taken to a local hospital by an unknown person.
Outside the court, emotions were high. This as Geyser was making his first appearance.
The investigating officer Sergeant Thomas Matiave, who took the witness stand during the bail hearing, told the court that there were still outstanding documents which he had requested.
The state prosecutor, Lesetja Maponya also told court that he could not proceed with bail as he’s awaiting for the profile of the accused.
“Indeed your worship, it’s a schedule 1, however your worship, we do not have SAP document. The IO indicated that he tried to profile the accused at his police station, he couldn’t succeed. Then he travelled to Modimolle. He couldn’t succeed and he indicated that the reason for such, your worship, is that the accused’s particular are not captured on the system,” says Maponya.
Geyser’s legal representative attorney Rossouw Franco told court he wanted his client to be released on bail as he was facing a minor charge.
“The question arises why profiling is a mere computer enquiry, but now the investigating officer said he is not on the system. Well, if he is not on system, it’s clear he doesn’t have any previous convictions. The argument of bail application, with all due respect, there’s an accused before court, he is entitled to a bail application whether there’s a further accused, that is not one of the guidelines that this court has to follow in adjudicating of this matter. My understanding is that the general consensus is a profile is immediately made available upon a computer enquiry and the investigating officer can bring that before court,” argued Geyser.
The investigating officer also told court that they are likely to make another arrest.