- Lorch was accused of assaulting his girlfriend
- Randburg's magistrate court found him guilty
- Sentencing is to be done late in July
WHAT HAPPENED: The Pirates attacker Lorch had been accused of physically attacking his girlfriend Mathithibala three years ago with the intent to cause bodily harm by hitting and strangling her according to a report.
In September 2020, Mathithibala reportedly decided to open a case against the accomplished player who was later arrested and he was later released on bail of R2,000.
On Tuesday, June 6, Lorch is said to have been found guilty of the offense by the Randburg Magistrate's court.
WHAT CHARGES WERE FILED?: "Mathithibala saw that it was getting late and messaged him to return her car keys. On arrival, an argument ensued and Lorch became violent towards her and started to strangle her, beat her whilst pulling her up and down. She called for help and his friend came to her rescue," the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said as quoted by the Sunday World.
WHAT THE COURT SAID: "The accused, [Lorch], did not have any injuries which meant that he was the aggressor," Michele Hart - who is the State's Prosecutor, stated.
"The accused and his witness did not create a good impression in court and appeared to be not credible witnesses."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Lorch has not enjoyed a good time on the pitch with Pirates owing to injuries in the last few years. The 2022-23 term saw the Bafana Bafana international make just 16 matches across all competitions, scoring four goals in the process.
It is not clear how the outcome of this case will impact his career.
WHAT'S NEXT: Lorch is now waiting for the sentencing which is scheduled to take place on July 23.
