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The saga around Glencoe farmer Garth Simpson continues. This follows the farmer’s appearance in Glencoe Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 25 November 2021.
Simpson is accused of murdering Qiniso Dlamini, a 17-year-old who was shot by the farmer and subsequently died on Simpson’s farm in September 2021. The farmer is also charged with having unlicensed firearms and ammunition in his possession.
However, following the incident, the civil rights organisation, AfriForum offered the 68-year-old accused legal representation because they believe he is not guilty of murder but rather a victim of self-defence. Simpson, however, was denied bail when he appeared in court on 21 October 2021. At the time, AfriForum stated that it would appeal the ruling.
After more than a month since his previous court appearance, the murder suspect faces new challenges in his legal battle.
This comes after AfriForum expressed concern over the court’s handling of Simpson’s bail application following his appearance in court on Thursday.
The organisation said, “The court took more than a month to hand over the certificate to AfriForum’s legal team so that the appeal application can be drawn up against the court’s decision to refuse Simpson bail. It is extremely worrying to see that Simpson is still in custody all the time.”
Adding to this, AfriForum explained that the court case continued on Thursday to hand over the ballistic reports.
Nevertheless, the case has been postponed until 14 December 2021 to allow the public prosecutor time to complete the investigation. Baring in mind that a video surfaced clearly showing Simpson being attacked by the victim and his associates. Yet, despite this damning evidence, Simpson will be held in custody for the time being.
“The organisation is of the opinion that the reasons given for refusing bail are insufficient. The court argued, among other things, that it rejected the bail application for Simpson’s own safety. AfriForum previously announced that it will assist Simpson with legal aid because it seems that Simpson reveals a very good defense and will possibly be successful in his defense, provided he has good legal aid during the trial and does not fall victim to hollow-backed political and race-based allegations.”
As a rule, the civil rights organisation explains that it does not become involved in individual cases. However, in this situation, AfriForum has made an exception because it claims there are more significant issues at stake, which touch not only the accused but the entire community.
According to Ernst Roets, AfriForum’s Head of Policy and Action, farmers face a variety of issues on a daily basis, including unlawful offenders on their property, illegal grazing, land grabs, and farm attacks.
“Politicians who regularly make statements against farmers and encourage expropriation without compensation create a tense atmosphere in various rural areas.”
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