Court views video of elderly patient’s beating

VIDEO-footage showing another former Lily Kirchmann old-age home staff member allegedly assaulting the late Hope Shepherd was played back in the East London Regional Court yesterday.

The trial of Tshibangu Kolonji, who is charged with assault with intent to commit grievous bodily harm, has been running separately to that of another former Lily Kirchmann caregiver, Ncediswa Mkenkcele, who will be sentenced next week for her attack on Shepherd.

The alleged assault by Kolonji occurred on January 30 2015, a month after he started work at the Berea Gardens Retirement Foundation.

In the six-minute long clip played before regional court magistrate, Sadia Jacobs, Kolonji can allegedly be seen slapping 84year-old Shepherd in the face and around her head with open hands.

Shepherd was in her room confined to her wheelchair at the time.

Kolonji allegedly taunts her in the video and when she reacts, he allegedly grabs her right ear and starts twisting it.

He allegedly twists her right hand while holding her left hand.

The video allegedly shows him slapping her numerous times in the face and hitting her on the back of her head.

He also allegedly sticks his fingers into her right ear.

The video ends allegedly showing Kolonji rubbing toilet paper against Shepherd’s face. The court can later hear Shepherd apparently saying to Kolonji: “You will regret this, Mark my words”.

Kolonji told the court yesterday he was trying to get Shepherd’s attention.

Shepherd’s daughter, Bernice Robertson, who took the witness stand, said it had been “shocking” to see what “this young man” had done to her mother.

Robertson broke down and cried on the stand: “We battle everyday with it [the assault of their mother]. We put her in a place we thought she would be well looked after. We thought we were doing the best for her, we did the worst thing for her.

“We have to take pills every night because we have visions of our mother being beaten,” she added.

Berea Gardens’ executive director, Mike Schultz, told court the centre employed 100 people, consisting of management, nursing staff, maintenance and security guards.

He said they hired Kolonji in January 2015 from Amatola Nursing Services.

When the assault was discovered, the foundation suspended him and referred him to the nursing agency for them to discipline him.

The case was postponed to April 25 for further evidence and Kolonji’s bail was extended.