UITENHAGE - COURT OVERTURNS HOMICIDE CONVICTION IN THE DEATH OF 10 YEAR OLD BEVAN JOSEPH CASE

The three men convicted and sentenced for culpable homicide after a wall collapsed on 10-year-old Bevan Joseph at a club rugby match in Uitenhage six years ago are now free men.

In 2013, the Uitenhage Regional Court sentenced Ricardo de Jager, Keith Korkee and Willie Louw to an effective five years in prison after it was found their actions led to a stampede at the Uitenhage Central sports fields during a club rugby match that caused a pavilion wall to collapse onto Bevan.

However, after an appeal by the three, the Grahamstown High Court found yesterday they could not have foreseen that their actions on August 21 2010 would lead to a wall collapsing on the boy, and their conviction and sentence were set aside.

According to the evidence, between 3 000 and 4 000 people filled the pavilion during the match between Gardens and Progress.

Near the end of the match, a fight broke out between the teams on the field, with spectators on the pavilion throwing bottles and stones at each other.

Spectators fled to the exits of the pavilion and one exit became so congested that a brick wall gave way under the pressure.

A number of people fell over the wall as it collapsed, and once the chaos had cleared Bevan’s body was found in the rubble.

Yesterday, Judge Nomathamsanqa Beshe upheld the appeal by the three men and set aside the original judgment.

VIA - heraldlive.co.za