'It's too late to apologise' - mother of murdered Coligny teen
30 January 2019
The mother of slain Coligny teen Matlhomola Moshoeu has told the North West High Court that she is not prepared to forgive her son's killers.
Agnes Moshoeu told the court that "it is too late to apologise", adding that the accused had failed to approach her immediately after the incident.
"I cannot forgive them because I can't see my son, and their families can see them," she said.
She was testifying during the sentencing proceedings of Pieter Doorewaard and Phillip Schutte, who were found guilty of her 16-year-old son's murder.
Moshoeu died on April 20, 2017, after he was pushed from a moving bakkie.
However, the men claimed that they had caught him stealing sunflowers on the farm, and were on their way to the police station with him when he had jumped from the moving vehicle.
In November 2018, Doorewaard and Schutte were found guilty of murder, kidnapping, intimidation, theft, and pointing a firearm.
Meeting request
The court also heard that on Tuesday during a tea adjournment, the accused, through their attorney, had approached the State to request a meeting with Moshoeu's parents.
During cross-examination, advocate Cecile Zwielegaar said: "After their [Doorewaard and Schutte] conviction, the accused instructed their attorney… to address a letter to the North West Director of Public Prosecutions to allow them to approach you to express their condolences… also to express they regret the death of the deceased."
She said the accused and their families had asked if they could apologise and express their condolences to Moshoeu's parents.
"They also appreciate that whatever they say or do won't bring your son back to you," Zwiegelaar said.
But Agnes said she was not interested in meeting with the family of the accused.
"They can regret what happened, but where is my child?" she asked.
Postponement
Last year, when Hendricks handed down his judgment, he said: "I am satisfied that the evidence of Mr [Bonakele] Pakisi is honest, truthful and reliable."
Hendricks said there was no practical reason why Pakisi, the only eyewitness in the matter, would have invented the evidence because he remembered "each and every scene" and was able to describe what had happened at various scenes.
The case has been postponed to Thursday for arguments in mitigation and aggravation of sentencing.
