Masher murder due in court
MBOMBELA - It is still very hard for his family to deal with Mervyn Masher’s death, as they believe he was killed "executionstyle" by a policeman. Bernard Masher’s brother, Mervyn, was shot and killed more than a year ago.
A police sergeant, David Samson Moele, stands accused of Masher's murder after he allegedly shot the victim through the head.
Masher (38) was a well-known businessman of the city. He was killed in the early hours of June 9 last year after he had apparently been involved in an argument with bystanders at an accident scene.
At the time, the police claimed that Masher arrived at the accident scene on the R40 near the Tiger Wheel and Tyre corner at around 03:30.
A motorcyclist who had been attending the annual Sunriders MCC motorcycle rally in the city was involved in an accident minutes before. A second car then crashed into the accident scene.
While a woman got out of the second car to assist, she was hit by a third car and she died at the scene. The vehicle who hit the woman fled the scene.
It was then that Masher, dressed in his pyjamas and accompanied by his wife Milly, stopped at the scene. The couple was apparently returning home after buying take-away food. Bernard says his brother was a trained paramedic and wanted to assist the injured.
An argument allegedly followed between some bikers who had arrived at the scene and tried to intervene with Masher's efforts.
Police at the scene at the time claimed that Masher pulled out a gun and waved it around. However, the Masher family disputed the fact and said his gun, which later turned out to be a plastic pistol, was covered by his pyjamas.
"He lay down on the ground along with his wife and other bystanders when ordered by the police to do so," Bernard told
Lowvelder this week. "This was when he was shot in the head at short range.
"We cannot wait to hear the words read out in court that he (the suspect) is charged for murder."
The case has been postponed to August 14. It is expected that Moele will then enter a plea on the charges.
A High Court date for the trial will then also be determined.