News / Africa
Groom burns down wedding venue
04 Oct 2013 at 01:29hrs | Views
Johannesburg - A Bloemfontein man who set alight his wedding venue has apologised in court for the incident, Beeld reported on Friday.
Jean Greyling, 28, earlier admitted in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court to setting alight Emoya Estate in July.
He had booked it as his wedding venue, but the owner cancelled their arrangement a day before the nuptials were to take place.
Greyling had reportedly failed to pay his deposit.
The owner, Buks Westraad, said in court on Thursday that although he accepted Greyling's apology, it would not compensate for the losses he had suffered.
Greyling and his fiancée, Lianne Meyer Bekker, subsequently got married at a Bloemfontein restaurant.
"What I did is not right. It was a night of madness. I didn't want to hurt anyone," Greyling told the court.
He said he was pleading guilty because he was a Christian who wished to teach his three stepdaughters about God.
The case was postponed to 25 October for sentencing.
Jean Greyling, 28, earlier admitted in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court to setting alight Emoya Estate in July.
He had booked it as his wedding venue, but the owner cancelled their arrangement a day before the nuptials were to take place.
Greyling had reportedly failed to pay his deposit.
The owner, Buks Westraad, said in court on Thursday that although he accepted Greyling's apology, it would not compensate for the losses he had suffered.
"What I did is not right. It was a night of madness. I didn't want to hurt anyone," Greyling told the court.
He said he was pleading guilty because he was a Christian who wished to teach his three stepdaughters about God.
The case was postponed to 25 October for sentencing.
Source - Sapa
