National
Westbury shooting case back in court─── 05:22 Tue, 12 Aug 2014
Johannesburg - The case against a man accused of pointing a firearm in a shooting that critically wounded a three-year-old boy who later died, was back in the Newlands Magistrate's Court in Sophiatown on Tuesday.
On August 7, Magistrate Ivy Serei postponed the case to allow the State to gather further evidence and for "community tension to calm down".
Keenan Mokwena, 28, was ordered to remain in custody.
Three-year-old Luke Tibbetts was critically wounded in the shooting on August 2 and died in hospital on August 8. He had been on life support machines since the event.
The court heard that Mokwena faced a charge of fraud in 2008, but had only received a fine.
Prosecutor Kobus Ehlers told Serei that Mokwena should be denied bail as the community was very emotional about the shooting.
However, Omphile Kedijang, for Mokwena, said community members had gathered in protest outside the court ahead of Mokwena's appearance and that his client should get bail.
Mokwena and Tibbetts were in separate vehicles when they were hit in a crossfire of bullets. They were taken to nearby hospitals.
Mokwena was shot in the right arm and was treated and discharged.
Lindray Khakhu, 24, was arrested for allegedly shooting and wounding Tibbetts and he appeared in the same court.
Sapa
