'Cop killer' resisted arrest
2007-11-22 19:17
Cape Town - One of the two men on trial in the Cape High Court for the alleged murder of police detective Lourens le Roux, resisted arrest and had to be overpowered and handcuffed, the court heard on Thursday.
Two police officials who helped in the Le Roux murder investigation, and were involved in the arrests testified at their trial on Thursday.
Ebraheem Jacobs and Gareth Leetz are facing two charges of murder, two involving illegal firearms and ammunition, one of illegally pointing a firearm and one of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.
Appearing before Judge Andre le Grange and assessors Jaco van Reenen and Russel Horne, the men have pleaded not guilty to Le Roux's murder, and an earlier murder that involved an argument over a baseball cap.
Prosecutor Esna Erasmus alleges they mowed down Le Roux whilst he was investigating them for the murder of Godfrey Hendricks, nicknamed "Baby".
Hendricks had apparently refused to hand to Jacobs a baseball cap belonging to Jacobs' sister.
Wrong information
Inspector Mias Engelbrecht, of the Organised Crime Unit, alleged that Jacobs resisted arrest in his bedroom.
Engelbrecht said his involvement in the investigation, together with Inspector Mark McClean, entailed the gathering of information.
They had gone to an address on the Cape Flats where a red BMW, the getaway car used in the Le Roux murder, had been found abandoned.
Information led them to Jacobs' home in Lansdowne, where his wife gave them several other addresses where to look for Jacobs himself.
Whilst searching for him, the wife telephoned to say Jacobs was now at home.
On arrival at Jacobs' home, they found that Jacobs had locked himself inside a bedroom.
Engelbrecht told the court: "We shouted to Jacobs to open the room, and that we were the police.
"He unlocked the door, but did not open it.
'Overpowered and handcuffed'
"We entered, and McClean rushed towards Jacobs with a firearm pointed at him.
"We ordered him to raise his arms, but he refused, and resisted arrest.
"We overpowered and handcuffed him."
Further information led them to a rehabilitation clinic where Leetz was receiving treatment for drug addiction, he told the court.
The case continues.
- SAPA