|
Hostage drama duo stand trial
25/07/2007 22:05 - (SA)
Cape Town - Two youngsters are to go on trial in the Paarl Regional Court in November in a sequel to a hostage drama in Franschhoek last year.
Johan Smit, 18, and Darren le Roux, 20, appeared before Magistrate Anna-Marie Immelman on Wednesday, after fake explosives were used to threaten a mother and her teenage daughter so that they could get money from the bank the mother worked at.
Smit has already been for 30 days' observation at the Valkenberg psychiatric hospital, where a panel of psychiatrists and psychologists assessed him "fit to stand trial".
The report is to become part of the record when they next appear in court on August 29.
Prosecutor Sonia Naik is charging them with attempted armed robbery, intimidation, malicious damage and assault.
The two went to the Nedbank Flats in Franschhoek in April last year, where one knew a teenage girl who lived there with her mother. She worked in the bank in the same building.
On arrival, they allegedly kicked the front door open.
It is alleged that once inside, they tied explosives to the girl's waist and forced her to telephone her mother to say she was ill.
If she failed to comply, the explosives were to be detonated, it is alleged.
The telephone call induced the mother to rush home to her daughter, where the mother also had explosives tied to her waist.
Her mother was then forced to return to the bank to remove money and was given a rough map indicating where she had to hide the money.
The woman was unable to find the appointed place and she returned to the bank to replace the money and alerted the police.
According to the charge sheet, R84 000 was taken from the bank.
Their trial was scheduled for November 5 and 6.
|
News
