Cops assaulted two of us, murder accused says

ONE of the six men accused of murdering St Albans resident Floris Kruger in 2010 yesterday told the court how policemen allegedly assaulted him and a co-accused after their arrest.

Khangelani Matebe, 27, also said he and Fundile Nqwensu, 22, were threatened. Police had placed a soft drink tin on Nqwensu’s head, then fired rounds at his feet to get them to admit to hiding firearms. The two men, along with Luyanda Nkolose, 27, Mzuvukile Foli, 26, Fuzile Kosana, 25, and Athenkosi Mtshayisa, 22, are charged with murder, kidnapping, housebreaking with the intention to rob, robbery with aggravating circumstances and the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The state alleges that the men broke into Kruger’s home in La Marseilles Road, St Albans, on August 31 2010, ran- sacked his house and tortured him all night.

The body of Kruger, 60, was found dumped along a gravel road near St Albans Prison the next day, September 1.

The start of the trial was delayed in November 2013 after Matebe was freed on parole in a Correctional Services bungle.

Yesterday, Matebe denied any involvement in the robbery and murder, saying he was at a tavern in the Fairview squatter camp that night and had slept the night at his home. The next morning, he said, he appeared at the St Albans Court on a charge of stock theft which was then withdrawn.

Matebe said he left the St Albans Court at about 12.30pm.

He said he had received a firearm from a friend, identified as Rasta, as surety for a R300 loan.

“[Rasta] said he was going to Mission Road. He would give me my R300 when he came back. I asked for a lift from the tavern owner, as he said he was going to Mission Road,” Matebe said.

He said he had intended to return the firearm to Rasta and recover his money.

Nqwensu was with him, he said. Nkolose also climbed into the bakkie for a lift.

However, the vehicle was halted by police who then arrested the three men and confiscated Rasta’s firearm.

Matebe said he was kept in the Kabega Park police station cells until September 7, when he and Nqwensu were taken to a St Albans quarry and assaulted.

“They beat us at the quarry. They put a tin on [Nqwensu’s] head and said they wanted to shoot at the tin. They then shot at his feet,” he said.

Matebe said the police demanded to know where they were keeping other firearms. “I said I got that gun from Rasta.”

Matebe said he did not know how cigarette butts containing his DNA were found in Kruger’s home or his vehicle.

The trial continues today.