The accused in the Hartswater triple murder trial claimed that they only sold the laptops and cellphones that were stolen during the farm attack ’in order to make some cash’.
THE TRIAL of the four people accused of the kidnapping and murder of the Brand family on their farm near Hartswater in July 2020 will resume in the Northern Cape High Court in December after the matter was postponed on Friday.
Earlier this week, the accused claimed that they only sold the laptops and cellphones that were stolen during the farm attack “in order to make some cash”.
Danie Brand, his wife Breggie and their daughter Elzabé Brand were brutally assaulted during the incident on July 26, 2020 and their bodies were discarded in Takaneng village near Taung.
A number of items including laptops and cellphones as well as a red Nissan Micra and a silver Mazda CX-5 were stolen during the incident.
The accused – Donald Seolesang, 22, Tshepo Visagie, 38, Kgomotso Mpumlwane, 45, and Tshepaone Melato, 21, have all pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice.
Charges against Realeboga Manyedi, 21, were withdrawn after he agreed to become a Section 204 witness.
The legal representative for Visagie, Chande Booysen, told the court that according to her client, by the time Seolesang and Melato had taken possession of the Mazda there were no deceased persons in the vehicle.
“Visagie and Seolesang discovered the two vehicles at the quarry on July 26, 2020, between 11am and 1pm. Visagie, Seolesang and Melato were hunting in the veld in Majaneng when they spotted the two vehicles in the quarry,” said Booysen.
“The accused saw that the tyre of the Nissan had burst. The car keys of both vehicles were inside the cars. Upon closer inspection, they saw a laptop and cellphone inside the Mazda.”
Booysen said that Visagie lived in Majaneng while Manyedi was familiar with Takaneng as he lived in the village.
“Visagie does not know the area around the waterhole where one of the bodies was discovered. He never pointed out where the bodies were left. He does not know the area where the other two bodies were found in the veld. Visagie never laid eyes on any deceased persons and denies carrying any body into the boot of any car.”
The legal representative for Mpumlwane, advocate Celeste Nameka, said that Seolesang had given a laptop to her client on July 27, 2020, for him to charge.
“She requested Seolesang to assist with transport to fetch her child as the accused arrived at her house with a silver Mazda. Visagie advised her that there was not enough petrol in the vehicle and Mpumlwane contacted her grandmother to collect the money for fuel. Before they left, the vehicle was washed at her premises.”
Nameka added that the grandmother was not at home and Mpumlwane then requested money from another relative.
“She withdrew the money at an ATM in the presence of Visagie. Seolesang later requested her to take him to a sangoma as he ‘had a lot of problems’, which he did not provide further details of. She drove the vehicle to the sangoma with Manyedi, Seolesang and Melato but did not enter the house.
“On their way back, after refuelling the car, there were many police vehicles in the vicinity. Visagie asked her to stop and he climbed out at the Taung circle.”
Nameka stated that the rest of the accused left for Pudimoe without Visagie as they could not find him.
“The following day, after her arrest, Mpumlwane informed the police about the laptop that was locked up in her bedroom at her home that was given to her by Seolesang. She directed them to her brother to assist in retrieving the laptop.”
The legal representative for Melato, Arnold Nel, indicated that his client was unwittingly lured into the situation with the promise of financial gain, although he never benefited from anything in the end.
“Melato, along with Visagie and Seolesang, spotted the silver Mazda and red Nissan Micra in the veld while they were hunting,” said Nel. “There were no persons inside any of the vehicles. Visagie opened the door of the Mazda and found two laptops and two cellphones behind the driver’s seat. Melato was hesitant but Visagie convinced him to sell these items to get some money.”
He added that Melato was neither involved in the robbery, theft of the vehicles nor the murders.
“He was in a state of shock when he saw two bodies that were tied up. One was wearing a gown and he turned around and walked back to the car. He indicated that no one showed any sign of life. He related that Visagie placed the body of a lifeless person in the boot of the vehicle. Visagie told them that he wanted to drop the body elsewhere and drove off to a different location. He carried the body to the tree and covered it.”
Nel said Visagie advised Melato “not to worry” when he took out a black bag and opened the door of the car at the quarry.
“Visagie told Melato not to ask questions when he asked him about the blanket that was used to wrap one of the bodies. This is when he saw the body of a woman lying on the back seat of the car. He was stunned when he stood at the Mazda and saw a body being carried from the Nissan to the Mazda. He did not help to carry any bodies and was at the police station when the bodies were pointed out to the police.”
