'I was shocked, horrified'

2007-11-23 20:16

Grahamstown - A heavily-pregnant State witness who was arrested with four men accused of murder and robbery told the Grahamstown High Court on Friday, she did not hear the victim's screams when he was killed.

On trial and charged with murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances are Tembinkosi Golotile, 18, Michael Soldaat, 21, Zolani Klaas, 18, and Khanyiso Damana, 18, of Kwanobuhle, Uitenhage.

They appeared before Judge Torquil Paterson, who sat with two assessors, and have pleaded not guilty to the murder and robbery of Lindile September, 34, of Kwanobuhle, on September 8 2006.

September's badly battered body was found the next day lying next to the R336 road, near Addo. Near his head was a massive 50kg rock that the state alleges had been dropped on his head, by one or more of the accused.

Medical evidence already led indicated that September had been stabbed 19 times, in the back, neck and right shoulder, but that none of these wounds were fatal. The cause of his death was established as "blunt force trauma to the back of the head".

State witness Jenine Schoeman, 24, said she was with the accused when September stopped to give them a lift in a friend's car that he was driving without its owner's permission, or knowledge.

Shortly after they had driven off towards Addo, Klaas had "suddenly produced a knife and stabbed September in the neck".

Scathing cross-examination

She said the accused then put the badly injured man in the boot of the car.

"They saw two men walking along the road and robbed them of their cell phones, cash and groceries. I did not know they were going to do these things.

"I was shocked, horrified and frightened about what they were doing."

Damana's lawyer Mike McCallum, was scathing in his cross-examination of Schoeman.

"Your shock, outrage and horror must have been very short-lived, because not long afterwards, you were dancing, drinking and singing in a local shebeen."

Schoeman said she had tried to get away from the others, to tell someone what was happening.

She said she was sitting in the stolen VW Citi Golf when the injured September was taken into the bush by the road by the four accused, and murdered.

"I was about 100m away and I did not see him being killed. I did not hear him screaming. I heard nothing."

The trial continues.

- SAPA