Assaulted boy still in SA hospital
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Tuesday November 8, 2016 17:43
The 12-year-old Jerry, who has spent most of the last five months in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Princess Marina and Bokamoso Private hospitals is a victim of grievous bodily harm allegedly committed by a Bangladeshi, Mohammed Husein Molla in June 2016.
The prosecution on Monday requested the court to extend the remand warrant of the accused Molla as they await a medical report on the child’s condition when he arrives from South Africa.
The prosecutor could not tell the exact date the patient is expected to arrive from South Africa, but said that Dr Alagesan Siva Raj of PMH would compile a detailed medical report upon the boy’s arrival from South Africa.
“The boy is still in SA. We are still waiting for him to arrive and that is when we would be able to give an update on his condition. We apply that the remand warrant of the accused be extended,” said prosecutor.
In the previous court appearance Dr Alagesan Siva Raj told the court that the victim was re-admitted at PMH on September 14, 2016 with respiratory distress and a tracheotomy was performed the next morning. He was referred to South Africa on October 10, 2016 after he regained consciousness.
The defence counsel did not apply for bail for the accused. Newly roped in Mooketsi Segaise said that he hopes the medical report on the condition of the child is availed soon.
“We hope that perhaps we could get progress on the report. Otherwise the detention of my client would continue indefinitely which is prejudice to him,” said Segaise.
He said that it is the accused’s constitutional right that he is treated as innocent until proven otherwise, adding that the longer the case takes, the higher the chances of his client being denied justice.
“He would have been punished for nothing.”
Magistrate Faith Ngandu said that she is constrained to keep the accused in bail for more than 14 days in custody.
However, she ordered the prosecution to keep checking the progress of the child so that they are able to update the court in the next court appearance.The case will continue on November 21, 2016.