Drainpipe witness 'terrified'

2006-01-25 19:49

Pretoria - A witness in the murder trial of two men accused of killing a Chinese couple and their two daughters says he is terrified of the accused.

Yan Bo Zhang told Pretoria High Court on Wednesday he feared for his life and testified because he wanted the police to protect him.

Zhang said he had seen Chinese nationals Siyuan Liu, 48, and Jiansen Bai, 54, murdering businessman Jia-Bin Li, his wife, Zin, and daughter Ruby.

He said he also had seen them carrying the body of 16-year-old Louise Li in November 2004, and testified that he was still afraid of Liu and Bai.

He admitted earlier making a statement during a bail application in which he said he knew nothing about the murders, but said it was because of the threats of the two and he was forced to do it.

Child saw parents strangled

He did not regard it as a lie, as he had been forced to carry the bodies, did not know Li or his family and had nothing against them.

Zhang earlier testified how four-year-old Ruby had had to watch Liu and Bai strangling her mother and father before she was also strangled.

Liu and Bai drove away in Li's car, but later returned with Louise's body wrapped in a blanket.

According to Zhang, the murders were preceded by an argument between Li and the two accused about a court case and a sum of R3.7m he apparently owed them.

The bodies were afterwards wrapped in plastic and dumped in a manhole near Midrand.

Zhang admitted he had entered South Africa with an illegal passport and that Zhang was not his real name.

However, he denied that Liu had arranged for him to enter the country or that he had stayed with Liu and his son after arriving here.

The trial continues.

- SAPA