Fishing row with a bite
Man’s thumb bitten off during altercation with prosecutor at Gamtoos River
A verbal altercation over a broken fishing rod took a gruesome turn when a fisherman’s thumb was bitten off during a scuffle with a senior prosecutor.
What started out as a relaxed fishing trip for one family, and a camping trip along the Gamtoos River outside Port Elizabeth for another, ended with three arrests for attempted murder when the two groups clashed.
Riaan van Heerden, 43, his fiancée Rochelle Bester, 53, and friend Jean-Pierre Struwig, 37, were arrested for attempted murder after senior public prosecutor Mzo Qatana was allegedly shoved under water.
Qatana, in turn, allegedly bit off Van Heerden’s thumb, which was later surgically reattached.
Van Heerden and Bester, who are from Azalia Park, Despatch, and Struwig appeared in the Hankey Magistrate’s Court yesterday, where they were released on bail of R1,000 each.
They ducked and dived as they tried to avoid their photographs being taken by the media when they exited the court building.
Qatana, who is in charge of the regional division prosecutors at the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s
Court, had been fishing with his wife, state advocate Meagan September, and their two young children when a boat piloted by Van Heerden sped over his fishing line.
The incident occurred at about 4pm on Sunday last week.
According to investigating officer Warrant Officer Johannes Rheeder, a heated altercation ensued.
“Another male [Struwig] joined in the fray,” Rheeder said in a statement read out to the court.
Rheeder said Qatana’s head was allegedly held underwater during the altercation despite protests from September that her husband could not swim.
“During the process, the complainant bit off the assailant’s finger,” Rheeder said.
He said a woman — Bester — furious that Van Heerden’s finger had been gnawed off — then joined the fray and while allegedly shouting profanities at Qatana, began hitting him over the head and back.
Fishing rods were also allegedly used as weapons during the melee.
Both Qatana and Van Heerden were admitted to hospital.
Qatana had to receive oxygen and was put on a drip, while Van Heerden underwent emergency surgery.
Van Heerden was arrested when he tried to open a case of assault later against Qatana at the Thornhill police station.
Bester and Struwig, who handed themselves over to the police on Monday morning, just hours before their court appearances, were identified through video footage.
Van Heerden, who by yesterday had been in custody for six days because the state was initially opposed to his release on bail, said though doctors had managed to sew his thumb back on, he could not receive the necessary follow-up treatment and medication while incarcerated at the St Albans
Prison. He feared the wound would become septic and that he would lose his thumb forever.
A dishevelled-looking Van Heerden stood in the dock with his bandaged hand in a sling.
Bester, meanwhile, battled to hold back the tears.
Attorney Malan de Beer argued for Van Heerden’s release from custody.
Van Heerden, in an affidavit read out by De Beer, said when he attempted to report a case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm on March 3 against Qatana, the officers at the Thornhill police station instructed him to return the next day because they were unable to assist him.
“But when I did return the next day and said my finger had been bitten off, I was arrested.
“I did not even have an opportunity to open a case,” he said in the affidavit.
Van Heerden, Bester and Struwig face charges including attempted murder, common assault, malicious damage to property and crimen injuria.
They will all plead not guilty to the charges but declined to divulge their defence at this stage.
De Beer said though the allegations against the three involved violence, it was the first time Van Heerden, who works at DKT Engineering in Port Elizabeth, had been arrested for violent behaviour.
His previous convictions, dating back more than 10 years, included housebreaking and drinking and driving.
For Bester, also represented by De Beer, and Struwig, represented by attorney Louis van Heerden, this was the first time they had ever been arrested.
They had both handed themselves over to the police when they were informed they were suspects in the matter.
Struwig, who lives in Miramar with his wife, said he had minor children he needed to take care of.
They said they did not harbour resentment towards anyone and promised not to interfere with Qatana or September should they be released on bail.
September prosecutes in the high court and was behind the successful conviction and life sentence of Hankey rapist Sibenzile Simane.
September said yesterday: “The matter is sub judice and as a result we will not be commenting at this stage.”
Numerous attempts to reach Qatana for comment yesterday failed.
Gouws said Van Heerden received urgent medical attention directly after his release and that they intended to open a counter-case against Qatana today.
The case was postponed to April 9 for further investigation.