Boy’s alleged killer opts not to take stand

CLOSING arguments will be heard today in the Northern Cape High Court in the murder trial of the man who is accused of brutally killing six-year-old Kutlwano Garesape.

Tefelo Dikole is accused of murder and attempted rape after he allegedly attacked and tried to rape Kutlwano’s mother, Segomotso Garesape, while she was walking with her two sons to school in Jan Kempdorp on August 12, 2016.

Kutlwano apparently tried to protect his mother and Dikole allegedly stabbed him to death with a broken bottle at the railway line near Tau Diarora School.

The State yesterday closed its case in the trial which started last week Monday with the testimony of Segomotso.

Dikole’s attorney, Pierre Fourie, indicated to the court that the defence’s case was also closed and that the accused had elected not to take the stand.

Fourie, during previous cross-examinations of State witnesses, said that Dikole had denied killing Kutlwano and that he had not been near the crime scene.

Fourie stated that Dikole said that he had been arrested after three men told him that he was wanted back home while he was busy collecting empty beer bottles.

According to Dikole, he was assaulted near his home in Proefplaas after community members accused him of killing a child.

Dikole said that he was arrested by police during the attack on him by the community members.

The last State witness, police officer Altus Coetzer, from Hartswater police, told the court that they had arrested Dikole while he was being assaulted by community members.

“We went to a scene where a man was being assaulted by members of the community. Upon our arrival, the people stopped assaulting the suspect. We loaded the suspect in the vehicle and drove him to the Jan Kempdorp police station,” said Coetzer.

“I noticed a cut above the left eye of the suspect. The suspect was wearing a black shirt and a blue pants with white stripes,” he added.