Trial of murder accused postponed for mental evaluation

An inspection in loco which was expected to be held at the start of the trial of two men accused of an alleged hit-style murder was called off after the court ruled that one of the men first needed to see a district surgeon for assessment.

Advocate Chris Nel SC, representing Emmanuel Sampson, 22, told the Port Elizabeth High Court on Friday that moments before the trial started he had received a report and would need to consult with his client.

Nel did not say what was contained in the report, bar that it was from the school Sampson had attended.

“[The report] is related to [Sampson’s] mental capacity.”

Asked by judge Bulelwa Pakati if he understood the charges against him and the possible sentence if convicted, Sampson said he did not understand, prompting the matter to be postponed.

Sampson did not plead to the seven charges he faces, including one of murder, two of attempted murder and two of contravening the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

His co-accused, Maxwell Muller, 22, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Pakati said the inspection in loco could be held only after Sampson had been evaluated by a district surgeon and once he had pleaded.

It is alleged that the men orchestrated a hit on two teenagers, who are not being named as they are under witness protection.

During the November 24 2017 attack on the teens, then aged 16 and 17, a man, Methwill Benedict Witbooi, was shot in the chest and later died.

According to the indictment, Witbooi and the two teens were standing in front of a house in Helenvale when a taxi stopped in front of them.

Muller and Sampson allegedly got off the taxi and opened fire.

The case was postponed to October 24.