Graphic evidence of a murder committed more than 10 years ago was heard at the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court.
The evidence was given by a surviving victim in a case in which a local councillor is allegedly implicated. Initial dockets are said to have disappeared and the series of events had to be reconstructed by the deceased’s relatives and the surviving victim.
The case was reported in, Councillor in murder case, week ending 27 October 2014; and Murder case involving councillor postponed, week ending19 November 2015.
It involved the death in 2005 of Alex resident Silas Sishoka and an injury to the victim who was cross-examined by council for the accused. The accused are local businessman Vijay Jeena, councillor Chris Mabunda, although he was not a councillor at the time, and Richard Nxokweni who is currently serving an eight-year sentence for an unrelated robbery case.
The victim maintained that he and the deceased were severely beaten by the men in the dock after being accused of stealing R150 000 from the businessman. He claimed that he was partially crippled and suffers from bouts of pain due to the assault.
He alleged that he was first assaulted by Jeena at the businessman’s shop in Wynberg. He said that he was tied up and bundled into a car and taken to the businessman’s home in Marlboro where the councillor and the other accused allegedly assaulted him.
Thereafter, the three accused apparently drove him to the deceased’s home in Alex where they allegedly beat up the deceased who presumably died from his injuries.
The case was postponed to 7 March.