Shabani, who works as a reporter for the government-owned Daily News, incurred the wrath of Holland while he was still taking his photos shortly after the latter was brought to court. According to the prosecution, Holland has not been attending court as required since April 16, 2024 after he was granted bail. Holland is facing a battery of charges (allegedly assaulting his wife Althea, allegedly occasionally assaulting his wife, allegedly discharging a firearm in a manner that threatened his parents and allegedly intimidated Monalisa Mangure by threatening to injure her family with an intention to cause her to omit to do her duty as a member of the civic society).
Some of the charges mostly involving his family members have since been dropped after they wrote to the prosecution intimating that they no longer wish to press charges. Holland was also facing a charge of allegedly being found in possession of an illicit substance (cannabis) on June 2, 2023 without being a person authorised to possess it. The charge was later dropped after Holland’s attorney Wame Tafa successfully argued that at the time Holland was allegedly found in possession of the dagga, it was not classified as a drug. After Holland, who was shackled on his legs, alighted from the back of the police van, a scene ensued within the court premises. In a fit of rage, Holland went to where Shabani was standing ordering him (Shabani) to delete any photos or videos that he had taken. Sensing danger, Shabani ran for his dear life before scaling the Magistrates’ Courts metal fence. Whilst Shabani was running for his life, Holland was hot on his heels hurling all sorts of expletives at him.
