The driver of the silver Mazda CX5 that was stolen from the farm belonging to the murdered Brand family near Hartswater has claimed that she did not know who the owner of the vehicle was.
THE DRIVER of the silver Mazda CX5 that was stolen from the farm belonging to the murdered Brand family near Hartswater has indicated that she did not know who the owner of the vehicle was.
Danie Brand, 83, his wife Breggie, 73, and their daughter Elzabé, 54, were assaulted and abducted from their smallholding on July 26, 2020. Their bodies were later found in the veld in Takaneng village near Taung.
The Mazda CX5, as well as a red Nissan Micra, laptops, cellphones, a handbag and a USB stick, were stolen during the incident.
The accused in the matter – Donald Seolesang, 22, Tshepo Visagie, 38, Kgomotso Mpumlwane, 45, and Tshepaone Melato, 21 – were charged with murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice.
The charges against Realeboga Manyedi, 21, were withdrawn as he will be used as a Section 204 witness.
The legal representative for Mpumlwane, advocate Celeste Nameka, during court proceedings in the Northern Cape High Court on Friday, stated that Seolesang arrived to collect her client at her home in Rooiwal village and that he was her nephew.
The court was previously informed that Mpumlwane was approached by her co-accused to assist them, where they had decided to drive to Vryburg to sell the laptops.
ALSO READ: Farm murder accused caught while trying to sell stolen goods
Nameka explained that Mpumlwane did not know who the owner of the vehicle was.
“On the day in question, when they [the accused] were surrounded by the police on the N14, she was driving the vehicle when one of the accused alighted from the vehicle.”
Nameka said that Sergeant Stefaans Mangate from the SAPS Northern Cape Trio Crimes unit did not obtain permission to scroll through her client’s cellphone.
Mangate had found photographs of the deceased on the cellphones that he had confiscated from Mpumlwane, Seolesang and Manyedi.
“My client denies that Mangate was the one who seized the cellphone from her. It was a female officer who took the cellphones from the vehicle. She did not hand it over to the person who arrested her, it was found inside the vehicle.”
Nameka added that at the time of their arrest on July 27, 2020, Melato and Seolesang were assaulted in her client’s presence.
“Dogs were put on the accused and Mpumlwane was threatened that they would kill her when she was arrested.”
The legal representative for Melato, Arnold Nel, was of the opinion that Mangate had not followed protocols when he entered the bloodstained house of the deceased on July 27, 2020.
“He walked through the yard and inside the house, where there was a lot of blood. He never wore any protective clothing in order to prevent contamination of the scene, other than a pair of gloves,” said Nel.
He pointed out that Sergeant Altus Coetzer from the SAPS K9 unit had testified that he drove behind the Mazda CX5, whereas Mangate testified that he, along with Sergeant Jacobs, were the ones driving behind the same vehicle.
The case continues in the Northern Cape High Court.
