/ 30 July 2009

Vorster murder case postponed

A man accused of killing his domestic worker’s grandson had his case postponed in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

Warren Vorster (35) is accused of the murder of Kgopotso Ramolefe, the 12-year-old grandchild of his domestic worker, on June 30.

According to a statement Vorster’s lawyer gave during his bail hearing on July 2, Vorster was called by his domestic worker, Elizabeth Ramolefe, who told him there was an intruder on the premises and Kgopotso was in danger.

Vorster got his hunting rifle from the safe in the main house’s passage and fired a shot.

”I had no reason to harm Kgopotso, I was very fond of the boy. I send my sincere condolences to the rest of his family, his grandmother, Elizabeth, and his mother, Florence,” the statement read.

At the bail hearing, state prosecutor Gary Famando read two statements, one from a policeman who attended the scene and another from Ramolefe, which collaborated Vorster’s one.

Inspector Derrick Bruce Macintosh said when he entered the outside room, he found Vorster performing CPR on the boy, and the hunting rifle lying on the bed.

”He was clearly shaken and very upset,” said Macintosh.

Ramolefe (58) said she heard her grandson screaming and shouting her name while she was cooking in the main house. She said she called Vorster because there was an attempted robbery next door earlier that day and she thought the robbers had came back.

Vorster allegedly fired a shot from the main house, which killed Kgopotso.

He was arrested and charged with murder the same day.

The case was postponed to September 10. — Sapa