Charges have been withdrawn against former Springbok rugby player ”Vleis” Visagie who accidentally shot dead his daughter when he mistook her for a car thief, his lawyer confirmed on Monday.
”I made representation to the director of public prosecutions on humanitarian grounds and also went to see him, and on Friday we received a letter saying that they won’t proceed with the charges of culpable homicide,” Tom Dreyer said.
Visagie and his wife, Frieda, were asleep at home at their plot in Maggiesdal, outside Nelspruit, when his wife woke up early on Sunday morning shouting that someone was trying to steal their daughter’s car.
The car was moving out of the gate and Visagie allegedly took his firearm and shot at the car.
They later discovered that it was their daughter Marlé on her way to surprise her boyfriend, Brand Pretorius, on his birthday.
The charges will formally be withdrawn on September 6, Visagie’s next scheduled court appearance, and this will be followed by a formal inquest into his daughter’s death.
”We are very happy and I am grateful and the family is grateful at the decision taken,” Dreyer said. ”One of the factors that they most probably took into account is that no court can impose a sentence that will be more of a punishment than that he has to live with.
”It is the same as if a child dies at home in a swimming pool. There is enough suffering.”
Family spokesperson Susan Baird said the family is relieved by the news.
”This proves that we do serve a living God,” Baird said. ”The family is fine and have been carried through with prayer. They are emotionally strong.” — Sapa