Cop tells of bloody 50kg rock
2007-11-26 22:46
Grahamstown - A blood-spattered 50kg rock featured as evidence in a murder trial in Grahamstown High Court on Monday.
On trial for murder before Judge Torquil Paterson and two assessors are Tembinkosi Golotile, 18, Michael Soldaat, 21, Zolani Klaas, 18, and Khanyiso Damana, 18 - all of Kwanobuhle, Uitenhage.
They are charged with the murder and robbery of Lindile September, 34, whose battered body was found near the R336 road, between Kirkwood and Addo, on September 8 last year.
September had been stabbed 19 times, but medical evidence already led indicated the cause of his death was "blunt-force trauma".
Addo-based Inspector Deon Botha said he went to the R336 after passers-by had reported a body lying near the road, next to the railway line.
State advocate Glenn Turner asked Botha if the rock was the same one he had found at the crime scene.
Botha said: "It is the same one and the left side of September's head was in contact with the stone.
"Those black shoelaces were the same ones used to tie his hands, and the white shoelaces were lying next to his feet, which were not tied."
Earlier, Sergeant Khayaloxolo Lama told the court that he and his patrol partner had arrested Soldaat driving a stolen VW Citi Golf, belonging to a friend of September.
"We stopped the car on the Addo road because we suspected he was driving under the influence of liquor. There was no license disc displayed on the windscreen.
Five 'getting very drunk
He said Soldaat smelt of alcohol and there were beer bottles in the car.
"Soldaat was drunk and staggering about. He told us the car belonged to a family member."
Lama said he arrested Soldaat and took him to the police station.
Later, he received information that Golotile, Klaas, and Damana, along with two women, were in an orchard on a nearby farm.
He told the court he had gone to the farm with other officers, and arrested Golotile, Klaas, and Damana and the two women, who were "getting very drunk".
"We searched them and found stolen cellphones, including one belonging to September," said Lama.
- SAPA