A South African farmer, Christoffel Stoman, is facing attempted murder charges after allegedly running over a six-year-old boy, Khwezi Jantijies, with his vehicle for allegedly stealing an orange.
The boy, who was walking with his mother, Magdalene Jantijies, suffered two broken legs in the shocking incident. Stoman, 70, reportedly showed no remorse for the attack, even stating in court that he would do it again. The incident, which occurred in front of the boy's distraught mother, has sparked outrage, with Stoman now facing serious legal consequences.
Farmer Accused Of Attempted Murder
On September 20, around noon, six-year-old Jantijies and his motherr were walking along a road when a vehicle towing a trailer struck the boy, running him over. The 70-year-old driver accused the child of stealing an orange from his farm.
Khwezi sustained severe injuries, including two broken legs, as a result of the incident. According to Magdalene, they were simply on their way to town for grocery shopping when they passed Stoman's property.
Khwezi reportedly paused to pick up an orange lying on the ground and then tried to reach through a fence to grab another orange on the ground. Magdalene, the boy's mother, recounted the horrifying incident, describing how she heard Stoman yell before he rammed into them both, pinning them against a fence.
"He came from around the corner and he was driving at a speed," Magdalene said to eNCA. "He shouted 'stand there, stand there.' I thought he was going to stop. He aimed directly at us in a corner, and I screamed Help! Help! He said, 'I'm going to kill you by driving into you.'"
The horrific incident has sparked outrage within the community, with locals claiming, according to eNCA, that it is not the first time Stoman has committed such a crime. Local community activist Billy Claasan urges lawmakers to impose stricter penalties on farmers who commit crimes.
According to IOL, the suspect allegedly told police that he would "do it again." Khwezi underwent surgery at Paarl Hospital and was transferred back to Vredendal, near his family's home.
Suspect Shows No Remorse, Mother Claims
According to Sahara Reporters, the boy's mother claimed she had no previous relationship with Stoman. After the incident, the farmer "showed no remorse" and did not offer "any assistance" to her or her son.
Magdalene said she and Khwezi would now concentrate on his recovery. They also have plans to seek counselling after the traumatic incident. "I aim to continue with this case. I want to proceed by the grace of God as long as I can stand here," she added.
The police spokesperson, Malcolm Pojie, confirmed that Lutzville police had opened an attempted murder case against Stoman. A reckless and negligent driving case was also filed following his appearance in court on September 23.
A bail application will be heard when Stoman makes his second court appearance. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case of crime against children. In August, Australian police released CCTV footage of a man suspected of throwing boiling coffee on a nine-month-old baby boy at a Brisbane park.
Likewise, a Florida high school coach was taken into custody last month on child sexual abuse charges after refusing to return a minor who had spent the night at his residence. Law enforcement officials believe there may be more victims connected to this case.
