Kuga report was withheld
Fatal car blaze investigator battled to get Ford to hand over technical probe into incident
A DETECTIVE who investigated the death of Reshall Jimmy, who died when his Ford Kuga caught alight, told the inquest into his death that he struggled to get a technical report compiled by Ford Motor Company’s investigator.
Jimmy apparently burnt to death in his vehicle in December 2015 after it inexplicably caught alight.
Yesterday, investigating officer Thembekile Matwa told the court that Ford had refused to give its report to the police even after he had asked for it to be handed over.
According to the family’s legal representative, advocate Gerrie Nel, the report was compiled in January 2016.
He said other reports were done with different conclusions.
“This ranged from a fire that started in the dashboard due to two wires to a fire that started in the boot (and) to ‘undetermined’.” Matwa said Ford promised to assist police but failed to give them the report.
He said he went further by requesting a Section 205, an order to compel Ford to hand over the report. He also applied for a warrant, but it was declined.
Matwa added that the police applied for an urgent application to be heard at the Pretoria High Court, but a day before the hearing, Ford recalled all Kugas.
Ford’s legal representative, advocate Andre Bezuidenhout, said the company had no obligation to render the report to the police.
“There is no contract on behalf of Ford to make it available to them. Ford’s stance was not to hinder the State but the report was withheld because of a litigation threat by the family,” he said.
Bezuidenhout said Ford was never served a Section 205 and was not aware of it. Judge Robert Henney said there was an obligation on Ford to hand over the report.
“Evidence is relevant in terms of the investigation on the death of person in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act. You could’ve asked for the evidence to be kept confidential,” he said.
State prosecutor Anthony Stephen said the matter came before the director of public prosecutions because Ford was resisting giving the report.
“We foresaw difficulty in getting the report despite Ford saying it would give it within 21 days,” he said.
The report was handed over only after the formal judicial inquest hearing started.
The hearing continues today.
ZODIDI DANO