Taxi boss killing: ‘getaway car ‘wiped of fingerprints’

THE getaway vehicle allegedly used in the murder of taxi boss Dustin Pillay in Shakaskraal in September 2019, was wiped of fingerprints.

This is what an investigating officer told the Durban High Court yesterday.

He said the vehicle, a white Jeep with a GP number plate, was stolen in Gauteng during a house robbery.

Pillay was a member of the Dolphin Coast Taxi Association, based in Shakaskraal.

Cebo Xulu, the first accused, and Thokozani Mthethwa, the second accused, are on trial for allegedly killing Pillay. They face charges of conspiracy to commit murder; murder; eight counts of attempted murder; two counts of unlawful possession of firearms, one an automatic; unlawful possession of ammunition; theft of a motor vehicle; possession of stolen property; malicious injury to property; and negligent driving.

Yesterday, the State brought another witness, an investigating officer whom we cannot name to protect his identity. The officer told the court that the Jeep, allegedly driven by Mfanufikile “Khe” Dlamini on the day of the incident, was not taken for fingerprints, as the vehicle had been wiped. Dlamini is an accused who died in custody.

The officer said the Jeep was found at the crime scene. “I am not sure where about, but the Jeep was discovered in the vicinity of the crime scene on the day of the incident,” he said.

He said a blue cloth or facecloth with human blood was found in the vehicle. State prosecutor, advocate Elvis Gcweka, asked the officer whether he knew whose blood it was. The officer said he did not know.

The officer said he followed up on the number plate of the Jeep, and it belonged to a man who worked for the Master of the Johannesburg High Court.

“I went there to interview the owner of the vehicle. We met at the Master of the High Court in Joburg. He is employed there. He confirmed that the number plate is the same as his vehicle, even the car itself. However, he said his vehicle was in his possession all the time. He said he had never borrowed anyone’s car,” the officer said.

He said the owner of the vehicle took him to the parking lot to show him his car. “We found the car and I I obtained a statement from him,” he said.

The officer said that when he observed the car, everything was the same as the car at the crime scene, except for the VIN number. He said he investigated the VIN number and verified that the stolen vehicle belonged to another owner from Gauteng. The officer said it was hijacked during a house robbery and had a case number. He said that before Covid-19 he found the owner but, later, he could not find him.

The accused remain in custody and the case has been postponed to next week.