2 men charged in violent dispute; 1 remanded to prison, other granted bail

Giovanni Deweever, a 36-year-old taxi driver from Durban Backlands squatting area, Georgetown, has been remanded to prison after appearing before acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty on several charges, including breaching a protection order, unlawful wounding, and using threatening language.

Deweever appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts in connection with a violent altercation that took place on April 2, 2025, at Durban Backlands.
Meanwhile, the virtual complainant, Peter Rogers, also from Durban Backlands, was granted $25,000 bail after he, too, appeared in court facing charges related to the same incident. Rogers, a 36-year-old electrician, had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The case stems from an ongoing dispute between the two men. Rogers testified that Deweever had repeatedly threatened him and his family, showing up at his home armed with a cutlass and making violent threats.
According to Rogers, on April 2, Deweever went up his stairs brandishing a cutlass while his children were present. He said in the past the man even threatened to burn down his house and to ‘shoot off his head’.
Rogers told the court that on April 2,, after Deweever threatened him, he confronted Deweever, resulting in a scuffle between the two. Rogers claimed that he picked up a cutlass to defend himself during the altercation.
The prosecution objected to bail for Deweever, citing the seriousness of the injuries sustained by Rogers and the risk of further violence, as Deweever had violated a restraining order on multiple occasions.

The Magistrate noted that Deweever had breached the five-year restraining order in just two years and was, therefore, a threat to Rogers’ safety. As a result, Deweever was remanded to prison.
Rogers, on the other hand, was granted bail.
Rogers told the court he was fearful for his family’s well-being and had installed a fence around the property [where Deweever also lives] with two gates for protection. Despite this, he said Deweever continued to ignore the restraining order, even breaking down Rogers’ steps on one occasion.
Deweever denied all allegations and claimed that it was Rogers who had assaulted him and made threats against him. He stated that he has witnesses who would testify in his defence.
The Magistrate, however, reminded him that the protection order had been granted after careful consideration of his previous actions.
The case is set to continue, with the next hearing scheduled for April 16.