Bail has been denied against Corrie Pretorius, the man who’s accused of assaulting a 16-year-old child in Groblersdal Limpopo in June.
The accused appeared in Groblersdal Magistrate’s Court yesterday where it was ruled that Pretorius should remain behind bars until his next court appearance. The video was circulated on social media platforms where Pretorius can be seen assaulting the boy, shoving him to the floor, kicking, swearing at him, and holding him at gunpoint. He faces charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and pointing of a firearm.
The State opposed the bail stating that it would not only endanger his life but would also disrupt public order as per News24. Pretorius claimed in an affidavit that he had been assaulted while he was in custody and his life was in danger in the correctional services. “Due to the nature of the charges and the allegations as covered in detail by the media, my life is under threat in correctional service.
“As conveyed to the SAPS by the legal representatives, I have been severely assaulted while incarcerated and it cannot be stated that I am not faced with the distinct possibility of being assaulted again,” he said.
The accused’s legal representative, Advocate JJ Venter argued that the community was holding the court hostage by threatening chaos and violence should Pretorious be released on bail, reported the Citizen.
The case has been postponed to 6 September for further investigation.
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