Accused’s memory fails

One of the men accused of the murder of an off-duty St Albans prison warder failed to recall vital information about the day he was arrested as well as the day of the murder, the Port Elizabeth High Court heard on Monday.

Jean-Claude Uithaler, 23, said he was with his co-accused on the day Quintin David Williams was murdered, but had left them at a house and went to look for his girlfriend, who had been staying with him at his parents’ house.

Asked by prosecutor Garth Baartman how long he had been at the house of co-accused Khawulelani Gqunta, 22, Uithaler said he could not recall.

Asked if he could recall what he was wearing on the day of the murder – after a witness to the attack said he had been wearing a tracksuit top with a hood and black tracksuit pants with stripes on the side – Uithaler said he could not as it was a long time ago.

Pushed for a response, Uithaler said the tavern that he and his co-accused were at on the night of the attack had cameras and suggested the state look at the footage to see.

The day after the attack, in which Williams was stabbed more than 30 times and partially castrated, Uithaler overheard his parents, with whom he lived, talking about accusations that he was involved.

The state has alleged the discussion led to him handing himself over to the police.

“I heard my father speaking to my mother but I do not recall what time it was.”

Uithaler said he was working at AP Bricks in Motherwell at the time, but asked what time he started work, he said he could not recall.

Uithaler, Gqunta and Sinethemba Mfihlo, 22, all of Chatty, have all pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

Earlier, in a trial within a trial, an alleged confession statement given by Uithaler was ruled inadmissible.