Durban — On Wednesday the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court finished hearing evidence about the murder of a 15-year-old, allegedly at the hands of a fellow pupil. It is expected that in January the State and defence will address the court on the merits of the case before judgment is handed down.
In March last year, 15-year-old Jayden Glazer was allegedly stabbed after school by a 16-year-old Grade 10 fellow pupil in Ashley, Pinetown. This was nine months before his 16th birthday.
The two teens both attended Chosen Independent Studies where Glazer was in Grade 9.
It’s alleged that on the day of the stabbing, there had been a fistfight between Glazer and the accused, who can’t be named as he is still a minor.
The 17-year-old accused, who was 16 at the time of the commission of the offence, faces a charge of murder. The trial is being heard in-camera due to him – and other witnesses – being underage.
So far the court has heard evidence from a teen who had recorded the moments leading up to Glazer’s stabbing on his cellphone. He told the court that a fistfight had allegedly been set on that day, and it was there that the accused allegedly stabbed Glazer.
The video clip was played in court and in it Glazer is seen walking to the boys with his hands behind his back; he had no weapon. Then the accused just stabs him, and Glazer lies down on the grass bleeding out. Voices in the video could be heard saying, “No weapons, we said no weapons”.
The accused is out on warning and released into the care of his grandmother. On Wednesday, the State completed its cross-examination of the teen.
Outside court, Glazer’s mother Jorina Pretorius said that while on the stand the accused read out a letter addressed to her wherein he apologised asking for forgiveness.
She shared a letter she wrote in reply to the teen’s letter. In it she says she has been struggling for 21 months to come to terms with the death of her son whose life was cut short after being stabbed with a steak knife.
“Now you are asking me to forgive you, well in those 21 months you have walked passed me every month in the courthouse and shown no remorse …
“Unfortunately, I cannot forgive you for taking Jayden’s life … I will never be able to forgive you, you not only took Jayden’s life but you destroyed our family. We have not been the same and only true forgiveness will come from God,” it read.
WhatsApp your views on this story to 071 485 7995.
Daily News