WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2008-03-14 Time: 00:00:00 Posted By: Jan
A Grahamstown High Court judge recalled three police witnesses on Thursday in the trial of two men accused of attempted murder of a Port Alfred businessman.
This came after their evidence was contradicted by two police reservists.
On trial before Judge Jean Nepgen are Ayanda Marhangula, 30, and Lungile Kepe, 28, both of Kwazakele, Port Elizabeth. They have pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder and robbery of Jan Erasmus, 66, on October 28, 2006.
The two accused were allegedly part of a gang of four men who shot Erasmus and assaulted his wife Rina, 63, and robbed them of R46,678 in cash and R35 900 worth of cheques, as they went to deposit their day’s takings at a local bank.
| ‘Their evidence is consistent with the accused’s version’ |
The two are also charged with attempted robbery when they tried to use the victim’s bakkie as a getaway vehicle, and robbery with aggravating circumstances when they allegedly hijacked a funeral hearse at gunpoint.
Erasmus, the owner of Kowie Tobacco Products in Port Alfred, was shot in the right arm.
Both accused claimed they had nothing to do with the attempted murder or robbery and said they were on their way to Bathurst when police confronted them with guns drawn and arrested them.
Nepgen decided to recall the three officers after listening to the evidence of two police reservists who arrived at the scene as the arrests were being made.
“The evidence of these two women reservists, a Sergeant Jaquelyn Nel and Superintendent Charmaine Botha, respectively, is entirely inconsistent with the state’s case. This situation is both bizarre and confusing,” the judge said.
“Their evidence is consistent with the accused’s version that they were arrested and forced down on the ground and cuffed, as they walked along the road.”
Both reservists said they saw Inspectors Charlton Hilpert and Joseph Marais, along with Constable Tembalethu Tele, pinning the men to the ground on the road, handcuffing and then placing them in a police van.
Senior state advocate Dale Robinson conceded there were a number of discrepancies in the state’s case.
“At the time of the incident there was utter chaos. There had been shots fired and there were police officers, their vehicles and members of the public all over the place. It was a total confusion,” he said.
The trial continues. – Sapa
Source: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=nw20080313162734522C823881