Kabokweni (South Africa) – They wanted to enjoy the beauty of Africa, see elephants and lions. But for a group of German tourists, their safari vacation ended in a nightmare. Her car was shot at during a robbery. Driver Jörg S. (67) died. Now one of the robbers has been found guilty of murder.
A court in the small town of Kabokweni (South Africa) also convicted the 37-year-old on Thursday of attempted armed robbery and illegal possession of weapons. The sentence is to be announced on Friday.
Jörg S. had worked for the Diocese of Fulda for almost 50 years and was shot on his third vacation in South Africa
Deadly shots at Kruger National Park
Jörg S. from Fulda (Hesse) and his wife Vera Safari vacation in South Africa in October 2022 made. Together with a German couple they were friends with, they were on their way from the airport in Johannesburg to a lodge in the Kruger National Park.
Shortly before the Numbi entrance to the famous national park, three men slowed down the rented Hyundai Staria vacationer and ran towards the car with weapons drawn. Jörg S. locked the car and backed up. The attackers fired.
A bullet hit the German and he died. The vehicle crashed backwards into a wallthe robbers fled.
Three robbers known to police were charged
The arrest took place a few days after the crime. Marshall M. (39), Fortune Bongumusa M. (26) and Napoleon N. (37) were charged with murder, among other things. In South Africa you face at least 15 years in prison for this. The men are also said to have committed robberies in the area in the past.
The trial took place on July 22nd in the small town of Kabokweni near the National Parks started.
The trial has been ongoing in the Kabokweni Magistrates Court since July
Acquittal for two defendants
In the trial, the three defendants testified that they were tortured, beaten and threatened with death by the police. Photos of her injuries were shown in the courtroom.
According to “SNL24”, Napoleon N. is said to have claimed that he was forced to sign documents whose contents he did not know: “I was told to admit that I killed a German tourist,” said Napoleon N.
Judge Brian Mashile criticized the methods policeaccused him of not having investigated the case carefully. Not enough evidence would have been collected and instead witnesses would have been intimidated and manipulated.
The result: Marshall M. and Fortune Bongumusa M. were acquitted in mid-November. The judge: “That Targeted cannot accept their confessions because they were obtained using unconstitutional methods.”
The remaining defendant, Napoleon N., declared himself not guilty in the proceedings. The court didn’t believe him. The sentence was not yet announced when the verdict was announced. It is expected to be announced on Friday.