Who killed Olerato, aged 5, in the tragic hit-and-run incident?

THE alleged driver of the black Jeep Compass that hit and killed Olerato Chiloane Makena outside his grandparent’s home in Soshanguve Block H in 2013 claims that her then boyfriend had been behind the wheel, not her.

Sarah Mothapo is on trial in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court for culpable homicide and failure to assist the injured child, then aged 5.

Her former boyfriend, Donald Khoza, faced charges of de- feating the ends of justice. He is alleged to have helped cover up the identity of the driver of the Jeep.

Yesterday, Olerato’s family was in disbelief in the gallery as the cracks started to show in the case, with the former lovers arguing about who had been driving the Jeep. Afterwards, the family described the cross-examination as a “lovers’ quarrel” that was inappropriate, because a child had died.

Khoza was cross-examined by Mothapo, because she felt her lawyer wasn’t doing her justice. “It was the norm that you drove the Jeep and me the Mercedes-Benz, when we were in a relationship,” Khoza said.

However, Mothapo claimed Khoza liked being flashy, and that was the reason he took the two cars to Spin City in Soshanguve that day.

“Because you like shining, you met a friend at Wonderpark and then off to Soshanguve; so the driver of the Jeep was you that day.”

Mothapo had previously said she had been at the Centurion Lake Hotel when the incident took place, but Khoza said he had dropped her there on the night of the boy’s death. He said he hadn’t communicated with her for almost three weeks after the incident. Mothapo called this a “disappearing act, to cover up what he had done”.

He said: “I was at a guest house because we weren’t talking. On our way to the hotel, you were mad after finding me with a girl during the day.”

Mothapo then accused him of conspiring to get another woman, Mantshole Moekwa, to take responsibility for the ac- cident. Moekwa was allegedly promised R15 000 to do so.

Witnesses said Mothapo was driving the Jeep Compass and had attended an event in the area. From there, she allegedly went to Chillies Garage, in Soshanguve, where she found Khoza with another woman.

The two women fought and Mothapo sped off, allegedly hitting Olerato.

The trial continues on July 18, when Samuel Kgalakgosi, an officer at the Soshanguve police station at the time, will give evidence.