Witness tells court how Nathaniel was shot and put at the back of a police van
Constable Mandla Sithole from Eldorado Park Police Station was the first witness to take the stand.
Caylene Whiteboy, Simon Ndyalvane, and Vorster Netshiongolo all pleaded not guilty to all the charges brought against them. They all chose to remain silent and not give the court reasons as to why they plead not guilty.
The three police officers are facing charges of murder, discharging a firearm in public, possession of ammunition, and defeating the course of justice.
On day one of the trials on Monday, Tasneen Kaldene, a witness who stays not far from the spot where Julies was killed took the stand to testify. She told the court that on the day of the incident, she was in her house watching television when she heard a loud bang outside.
When she went out to check, she saw a police officer pulling Julies from underneath a truck and load him on the back of a police van before driving away.
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On day two on Tuesday, Constable Mandla Sithole from Eldorado Park Police Station was the first witness to take the stand. According to Constable Sithole, Julies came to them when they were sitting in the police car eating.
“The boy was talking and pointing at us but I couldn’t understand what he was saying. Accused number one (Whiteboy) said the boy was a 064 meaning he was not okay mentally,” explained Constable Sithole.
“Accused number two (Ndyalvane) spoke using the car’s loudspeaker and instructed the boy to go away. He went away but not for long, he came back and stood next to the truck and did the same thing but I still couldn’t understand what he was saying. At that point, I understood that the boy was not okay mentally.”
Constable Sithole could not recall the conversation between accused number one and accused number two before the shooting but he said he remembers accused number one holding a shotgun.
He heard a loud bang and saw the boy on the ground next to the truck. A visibly emotional Constable Sithole went on to tell the court how Julies was put in the back of the police van alone and driven first to the Freedom Park Fire Station. When they got to the fire station, accused number two decided that they were going to drive the boy to Baragwanath Hospital.
When they got to Bara, Whiteboy and Ndyalvane put Julies on a stretcher and were assisted by a medical practitioner to take him inside while Sithole and another officer remained in the police van. After a short while, the two police officers came back and told them the boy had died.
On day one, Judge Ramarumo Monama said the accused can get life imprisonment if found guilty.
“I just want to bring it to your attention that the minimum sentences prescribed is life imprisonment in the event that I find you guilty and in the event I find that there are no substantial and compelling circumstances,” said Judge Monama.
The trial continues.
