Tobias Hangula (50) appeared in the Otjiwarongo Magistrate’s Court for the first time today on charges related to a fatal incident in which a five-year-old boy was killed after a vehicle drove into a yard, for which he was denied bail.

The court, presided over by magistrate Jan Beukes, postponed the matter to 26 January 2026 to allow Hangula to apply for legal aid and a formal bail application.

Two other children escaped unharmed.

Hangula told the court that he needs bail to assist the family with burial arrangements.

The state objected to bail on the grounds of the seriousness of the charges, the family’s ongoing mourning, pending investigations, the view that bail would not serve the public interest, and concerns that community members may resort to taking the law into their own hands.

He faces three charges: culpable homicide, driving while exceeding the prescribed alcohol level, and driving without a valid driver’s licence.