The man who held a Department of Home Affairs employee hostage using a toy gun was granted leave to appeal his conviction by the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
”The court grants leave to appeal on this conviction,” said magistrate Lukas van der Skyf.
Kabelo Thibedi was sentenced to one year behind bars in 2006 after holding home affairs official Lanelle Small hostage with a toy gun in an attempt to get his identity document (ID).
On November 30 2005, he locked himself and Small in a room for about six hours, demanding his ID before he would release her. Home affairs officials eventually brought the ID book to him from Pretoria.
Speaking outside court afterwards, Thibedi said he was excited and optimistic about his appeal.
”I am very happy and I’m hoping that everything will go very well at the high court,” he said.
His lawyer, Jafta Mphahleni, said they would now lodge an appeal against the conviction and the sentence.
”The leave to appeal against the sentence was granted last year, we can now lodge both. I should have a date next week on when the matter would be heard,” Mphahleni said. — Sapa