Court weighs 'snake-man' raps

2005-05-17 19:15

Johannesburg - A magistrate expressed understanding on Tuesday for the actions of the man who released poisonous snakes inside a bank last year.

He indicated that attempted murder charges against Abel Manamela, 53, might be reduced to a count of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm.

Magistrate Lucas van der Schyff said: "Manamela misunderstood the system. I understand his problem, but that does not condone what he did."

A reptile researcher earlier testified that a bite from a puff adder would not necessarily result in death.

Manamela allegedly released five puff adders on the premises of Absa Towers in Johannesburg on January 29 last year after a dispute with Absa manager Jacobus van der Berg regarding his loan repayments and repossession of his vehicle.

Amid fevered attempts to catch the reptiles, a contract manager for ABSA's cleaning company, Prestige, was bitten on a finger and had to undergo surgery.

Bite 'unlikely to be fatal'

While the State tried to prove that Philipus Griffin could have died from the snake bite, Witwatersrand researcher Graeme Alexander said: "It's unlikely that a person may die after a puff adder bites them, no matter where in the country you are - unless you have an allergic reaction."

Van der Berg said he had been dealing with Manamela since 1998 and that Manamela was not always a friendly person.

"Before he released the snakes, Manamela wrote us a letter saying he was going to expose us (Absa) for the snakes that we were," said Van der Berg.

"We had also previously received threats from him saying that he was going to blow up the place if we did not help him."

Manamela denied allegations that he had threatened Absa staff.

"I disagree that there was another threat. I only said they would see what would happen to the bank and not that I was going to use a bomb," said Manamela.

He said he used the snakes to frighten Absa staff so that Absa would sort out his problem as he believed he was being cheated.

He said various Absa branches had given him false information about the money he still owed the bank.

According to investigating officer Adel Strydom, Manamela had a valid permit to keep the creatures in cages in his yard in GaRankuwa.

Told receptionist about the snakes

Manamela had planned the incident and had told staff at the bank about the snakes.

"I entered, put my bag on the counter and gave them some documents so that they could see who released the snakes.

"I then told the lady at reception, the security guards and left," said Manamela.

"I went straight to the police station, but they could not arrest me as they had no case against me. I went back to Pretoria and police arrested me the next day."

He has pleaded not guilty on two counts of attempted murder and is out on bail of R5 000. His trial is expected to continue until Wednesday.

- SAPA