Plea blow for driver accused of causing two sisters’ deaths

WHILE the parents of Nurah and Nishaat Thomas prepared to commemorate a year since their deaths, they recently learnt that the tables were turning in the court case involving the man charged with causing them.

On March 3 last year the lives of Raihaana and Abdurgamaan Thomas changed forever when when 22-yearold Likhona Mgidi unlawfully took the driver’s seat of a Quantum taxi which caused the deaths of their daughters, Nishaat, 6, and Nurah, 2.

Mgidi slammed into the father’s Opel Corsa as they were driving home along Merrydale and Wespoort Avenue in Portlands, Mitchells Plain.

Mgidi was later arrested and charged with two counts of culpable homicide and negligent driving after disappearing from the scene.

After a string of postponements due to outstanding court documents, Mgidi applied to enter a plea, something the girls’ parents felt was unfair and selfish. However, his fate quickly took a U-turn when the plea was rejected and the case transferred to the regional court. Raihaana said they were happy about this.

“At least we know that he won’t get away lightly and it’s starting to feel like there is also a fight for justice for our daughters, so we are putting everything in God’s hands.

“We are also so thankful for the prayers that are constantly coming our way as we prepare to commemorate our daughters’ passing. We decided to give back to an orphanage,” she said.

Raihaana said she was frustrated that the media were no longer allowed in court after Mgidi’s defence told the court that he felt harassed.

“This is the same media that helped bring forward a witness, and to get stopped every time to ask if the media are there is frustrating because we are there to hear about our children, and you are worried about the media?

“But again we leave this in God’s hands, as long as people still get to hear their names,” she said.

The case was transferred to the Mitchells Plain Regional Court for a trial date.