Slow justice
Terence Pillay follows up on the case of a child mauled to death by two dogs in the Midlands last year and finds that justice is moving slowly.
Last year Graydon and Estelle Sinkins’ lives were shattered when their eight-year-old son James was mauled to death by their neighbour’s aggressive Timberwolves while playing in his backyard.
According to Estelle, the dogs got under the fence and came into her back yard where James, a special needs child, was playing.
James was rushed to the Howick Medi-Clinic Hospital and underwent extensive surgery to try and repair the damage caused by the attack. He was later transferred to the ICU at St Anne’s Hospital for a blood transfusion and further surgery. But he didn’t make it. He died in the early hours of the morning.
The Sinkins’ laid charges at the Howick Police Station but say the police were not as helpful as they would have liked. In fact, it was Estelle who continuously phoned the station to get updates on the case. The dogs were put down by the SPCA but the owners didn’t face any discipline for being negligent.
And then last week, they were visited by a public prosecutor who told them that he didn’t think the case would go to court. And according to Estelle, he didn’t want to speak to her even though she was the only actual eyewitness to the incident. Instead, he chose to get the info second-hand, from Estelle’s husband.
According to Estelle, he also said that she wouldn’t make a good witness because she was too emotional.
Natasha Ramkissoon-Kara from the NPA says that there are no charges at present because the case is not even on the court’s roll. She confirms that the public prosecutor in question did go to the Sinkins’ house to interview the family about the matter and said that her department will investigate the allegation that he didn’t act within the protocol of the NPA.
She did, however, say that the matter has now been handed over to the Chief Prosecutor and they will be in touch with the Sinkins’ to investigate further. She also said that the behaviour of their public prosecutor will be investigated.
Do you have any thoughts on this matter?
According to Estelle, the dogs got under the fence and came into her back yard where James, a special needs child, was playing.
James was rushed to the Howick Medi-Clinic Hospital and underwent extensive surgery to try and repair the damage caused by the attack. He was later transferred to the ICU at St Anne’s Hospital for a blood transfusion and further surgery. But he didn’t make it. He died in the early hours of the morning.
The Sinkins’ laid charges at the Howick Police Station but say the police were not as helpful as they would have liked. In fact, it was Estelle who continuously phoned the station to get updates on the case. The dogs were put down by the SPCA but the owners didn’t face any discipline for being negligent.
And then last week, they were visited by a public prosecutor who told them that he didn’t think the case would go to court. And according to Estelle, he didn’t want to speak to her even though she was the only actual eyewitness to the incident. Instead, he chose to get the info second-hand, from Estelle’s husband.
According to Estelle, he also said that she wouldn’t make a good witness because she was too emotional.
Natasha Ramkissoon-Kara from the NPA says that there are no charges at present because the case is not even on the court’s roll. She confirms that the public prosecutor in question did go to the Sinkins’ house to interview the family about the matter and said that her department will investigate the allegation that he didn’t act within the protocol of the NPA.
She did, however, say that the matter has now been handed over to the Chief Prosecutor and they will be in touch with the Sinkins’ to investigate further. She also said that the behaviour of their public prosecutor will be investigated.
Do you have any thoughts on this matter?
You can email Terence Pillay at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter and tweet him your thoughts.