Skierlik shooter's dad faces charge

The father of 19-year-old Skierlik murderer Johan Nel may be recharged with the negligent handling of a firearm, police said on Monday.

Superintendent Lesego Metsi said the charge had been withdrawn in the Swartruggens magistrate’s court for unknown reasons.

“The investigating officer said to me they have already referred an application for review to the directorate of public prosecutions,” said Metsi.

He said the father, Hennie Nel, was responsible by law to safeguard his firearm.

The rifle, which was used in his son’s shooting spree that killed four people, was not locked in a safe at the time of the attack.

Initially, a charge of negligent handling of a firearm was brought against the father. “But the court withdrew the charges for reasons that are not clear.”

If convicted, the father’s firearm licence could be revoked for five years, said Metsi.

Last week testifying psychologist in the case Kobus Truter said the fact that the boy’s family and friends had repeatedly been victims of violent crime made him believe that white people were under attack.

It was also revealed last week that Johan was given a suspended sentence after shooting and paralysing a man cutting grass alongside a railway line near Rustenburg in 2003.

Johan was last week sentenced to four life terms for the shooting spree in which he killed four people, including two children, and wounded eight people at the Skierlik informal settlement, near Swartruggens, on January 14.

He also received five years for possession of a firearm and three years for possession of ammunition. A charge of damage to property was withdrawn.- Sapa