Coroner: Kani ubukela kuphi?

MATSAPHA – “Kani ubukela kuphi yeMazibuko?”

This question, which means – “Mazibuko where are you watching from?” was asked by the Coroner, Senior Magistrate Nonhlanhla Dlamini, directed to the senior police officer from OSSU, Assistant Superintendent Mfanimpela Mazibuko .

The coroner asked this question after Mazibuko was being questioned by Advocate Mduduzi ‘Tsotsi’ Mazibuko about smoke which appeared to have been going towards the memorial service tent.

The advocate had referred the witness to what was shown in the video clip at 4.08 minutes. He asked him if he could see that there was smoke and Mazibuko responded to the positive.

Advocate Mabila asked if it came from their vehicle, but the witness responded to the negative. However, the advocate mentioned that it was only the police who had items that emitted smoke and the witness agreed.

Thereafter, the advocate said taking the witness’s explanation that the sound of a tear gas canister, when it was fired, could not be heard by someone who was far, meant that the smoke they were seeing was from a CS canister as they did not hear any explosion sound.

Sound

In response, the witness submitted that he could not agree. Thereafter, the advocate asked that the video clip should be replayed and he asked if he heard any sound, but in response, the witness submitted that there was no sound.

“I put it to you that the smoke was from a tear gas canister, not a stun grenade as you said there was no sound,” the advocate said, however, Mazibuko disagreed.

The advocate then asked where the smoke came from and the witness claimed that it was from a stun grenade. In turn, the advocate told him that he was allegedly not telling the truth because he had submitted that when fired or thrown, a stun grenade made a sound, while a tear gas canister did not.

“Do you expect the coroner to believe you alleged untruthful submissions? Which statement between the two should we believe because they contradicted each other? Or should I say which one is a lie and which one is true?” the advocated asked.

In that regard, the advocate submitted to the coroner that this was allegedly perjury because the witness was supposedly being untruthful.

The advocate asked that the video clip be replayed and he asked if the smoke was not going towards the tent. Mazibuko maintained that it was not going towards the tent.