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PIGG’S PEAK – A suspect, who felt interrupted as he was narrating his version of events, ended up lecturing a magistrate on the use of punctuations.

Bongani Magongo appeared before Pigg’s Peak Magistrate Vusi Thomo for contravening the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act in that he allegedly threw a plank at his mother, Judith Magongo. The plank missed her and he was charged with assault. The assault is said to have happened on May 17, 2022 around Ndzingeni area.

When he appeared before Magistrate Thomo, Bongani tried to explain that he did not attempt to assault his mother, but that it was an accident. However, while he was talking, the magistrate enquired from the Crown counsel about his health condition.

Thomo then asked Bongani a question but instead of responding, he continued talking, and it appeared that he had not heard the magistrate. However, the magistrate continued asking the question and advised him to wait. Bongani still continued to talk until he finished explaining his version of events and how he ended up being arrested.

Commas

Thereafter, Bongani was heard laughing at the magistrate whom he advised that he should listen when someone was talking so that he could know where the commas and full stops were positioned in someone’s sentences. “I cannot just stop talking in the middle of a sentence without being mindful of a full stop,” said Bongani, much to the applause of the members of the public gallery.

Bongani also asked the magistrate that he needed to be granted bail so that he could go home. However, after deliberations with the Crown counsel, the magistrate ordered that Bongani should be taken for psychiatric evaluation.

He was also advised that he had a right to legal representation.

He was remanded in custody until June 1, 2022.