Day 6 Krejcir trial: Witness cross examined by defence

UPDATE: 20 May 10.30am:

DEFENCE lawyer, Annelene van den Heever put technical questions to witness number eight, Bheki Lukhele at the trial of Radovan Krejcir.

Van den Heever’s cross-examination of Lukhele began with her asking him about the burns he incurred after he was allegedly assaulted by Krejcir.

Lukhele said he had visible black marks on the top of his shoulder and on the side of his face.

The defence went on to question Lukhele about all the wounds sustained on his body from the boiling water that was allegedly poured onto his head by Krejcir.

After a series of elaborate questions about where Lukhele was burned on his body, how many wounds he sustained and what colour his wounds were, the presiding Judge Collin Lamont suggested that the state obtain a physical examination of Lukhele’s wounds from the boiling water.

Van den Heever went on to question Lukhele about his other injuries allegedly incurred by Krejcir, and asked if he went to the doctor to attend to those wounds as well, or just the burns.

Lukhele responded and said he only went to the doctor to get treatment for the burns, not the wounds from the kicking or the slapping.

He said he only told the doctor that he was burnt by boiling water.

More updates to follow.

19 May 4pm:

Lukhele, the eighth witness to take the stand on day six of the Krejcir trial chronicled the day he was allegedly kidnapped and assaulted by Krejcir.

His testimony took place in the morning at the South Gauteng High Court, in Thokoza, east of Johannesburg on 19 May.

According to Amanda Watson, The Citizen [INSERT LINK: https://citizen.co.za/179921/can-put-krejcir-away/] reporter, Lukhele is the brother of ‘Doctor’, who is allegedly responsible for the disappearance of R24 million worth of tik belonging to Krejcir.

Lukhele told the state prosecutor that a group of men came to his house and asked him about the whereabouts of his brother. He told them he did not know where he was. Lukhele could not say how many men were present.

He added that the men questioned him further and man-handled him. He said he was slapped in his face and forced into one of the vehicles parked outside his house.

Inside the vehicle he was made to face down and his hands were tied behind his back. He said he was taken to a location where he was blindfolded and assaulted further. He was made to sit on the floor and face the wall.

Lukhele said they took off his blindfold and one of the men who assaulted him told him to look at him. He said this man was Krejcir.

Krejcir allegedly poured boiling water over his head and continued to ask him where his brother was. He said his skin was peeling from the burns he sustained from the hot water and he was bleeding inside his mouth. Lukhele said he was later taken to a different location, before driving to Mpumalanga to where his brother lived.

He said his brother was not found and he was taken back to the previous location. The men then dropped him off at a stadium which was close to his home and he was able to walk home.

Lukhele said he went to the doctor, received medication and went home.

More updates to follow.