Justice Delayed Again: Tonga Court Postpones Jurgens Nel Murder Case

Sonell Joubert’s murder trial stalls as defence blames missing docket and media blackout raises questions.

The murder case of Jurgens Nel, the 55-year-old man found stabbed to death on a quiet Mpumalanga farm earlier this year, has been postponed yet again, drawing frustration from a public hungry for justice and clarity.

On Thursday, June 26, accused Sonell Joubert appeared briefly before the Tonga Magistrate’s Court, only for the matter to be pushed to August 14. This marks yet another delay in a case that’s already stretched over four months and counting.

Five minutes in court, weeks of waiting

The court session was over in less than five minutes. Joubert’s legal representative, Advocate Hennie van Rensburg, told the magistrate that the defence still had not received the docket, a critical element needed to proceed with the case.

Without it, the defence argued, they could not prepare or engage meaningfully in court. The magistrate agreed and postponed the hearing. But it’s not just the delay that’s raising eyebrows, it’s the growing wall of silence around the accused.

Media shut out, emotions running high

When senior journalist Riot Hlatshwayo from Lowvelder attempted to interview Joubert outside the courtroom, he was shut down by Van Rensburg, who firmly stated:

“She is under my instructions and you are not going to interview her.”

This despite the fact that Hlatshwayo had made it clear the questions would be about Joubert’s time in prison and her personal reflections, not the trial itself.

The move has sparked criticism online, with some on social media asking why transparency is being avoided in such a high-profile case.

From witness to accused: A chilling timeline

Joubert’s legal saga began when she went to KaMhlushwa Police Station on February 1 to report Nel, a man she had previously taken out a protection order against.

She told police he had violated the order. Officers accompanied her to Lowhills Farm in Nkomazi, where she lived with her partner, Johann Möller, and where Nel worked as a handyman and assisted with woodwork.

At first, police left without confronting Nel. But when they returned on February 3, they discovered his lifeless body inside the house, bearing six stab wounds to the upper body.

Confession, arrest, and a changing legal team

Investigating officer Sergeant Bonginkosi Given Nguyuza testified that Joubert confessed to stabbing Nel during a physical altercation. She was arrested on February 4 after voluntarily returning to the police station to make a statement.

Joubert spent nearly four months behind bars, with her bail application twice denied before being granted by the Mpumalanga High Court on May 29, after her legal representation changed hands.

Her first lawyer, Marco Lamberti, withdrew due to non-payment, leaving Van Rensburg to take over and secure bail set at R15,000.

Unusual setting, unanswered questions

This case has fascinated many for its unusual backdrop: a farm where the accused and victim lived in close quarters, managing tourist activities with a domesticated elephant.

Since Nel’s death, authorities have removed the elephant from the property, while the relationship dynamics between Joubert, Möller, and Nel continue to raise eyebrows.

Joubert’s family maintains her innocence, while critics question whether her alleged placement in a volatile situation with an existing protection order should have prompted more decisive action by police earlier.

The August 14 postponement means further delay in resolving a case already marred by courtroom stalling, police missteps, and public suspicion.

Meanwhile, Nel’s family and community members are left in limbo, waiting for answers and wondering why, in a case involving a known domestic conflict, justice seems to move so slowly.

As the matter continues to unfold, one thing remains certain: the full truth behind Jurgens Nel’s death is still waiting to be heard, in a courtroom that keeps falling silent.

{Source: The Citizen}

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