Witness threatened for providing information to cops, court hears

One of the independent witnesses in the Brendin Horner murder case, has allegedly been threatened to keep quiet and stop providing information to police investigators.

Sekwetje Mahlamba and Sekola Matlaletsa appeared in the Senekal Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday where their bail application continued with the cross-examination of one of the investigating officers, Captain Gerhardus Myburgh.

Myburgh took the stand and informed the court he had met with one of the witnesses on Monday who informed him that she had received death threats.

The witness was allegedly told that if she continued to give information to police, she would not see December.

The captain later told the court that it’s suspected that a relative of Matlaletsa was the source of the alleged threats and that an investigation had been launched.

Myburgh added that a process was underway to have the witness placed in witness protection.

This was the same witness allegedly seated with the accused at the tavern in Paul Roux, when both Mahlamba and Matlaletsa were alleged to have detailed assaulting a white person on a farm before tying him to a fence pole.

It was these details which matched the attack, that led to the police arresting Mahlamba and Matlaletsa.

News24 previously reported that two independent witnesses allegedly told police that Mahlamba and Matlaletsa were boasting about assaulting a white man.

Horner, a farm manager, was murdered on Thursday, 1 October and his body discovered the following morning.

The witnesses alleged that the accused were at the tavern on the Friday afternoon, the same day that Horner’s body was found.

It was also previously revealed that clothes taken from Mahlamba had blood stains on them, which he said was from a sheep he had slaughtered for a traditional feast in September.

Police, however, followed up the lead and the person who hosted the feast said while she knew Mahlamba, he was not there and did not slaughter any animal for the feast.

Both Mahlamba and Matlaletsa also claimed they were with their partners on the night of the murder.

Mahlamba’s girlfriend, however, told police that at some point in the evening she woke up and that he was no longer there and only returned the following morning.

Both accused told the court they intended pleading not guilty. The bail application continues.

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