Cape Town - The defence in the case against acclaimed international artist and murder accused Zwelethu Mthethwa called their first witness in the Western Cape High Court on Monday.
Jan Pretorius, a chartered accountant and businessman who dealt in secondhand Porsches, described himself as having “reasonably extensive knowledge” about Porsche cars, “definitely more than the average man on the street”.
The State alleges that security footage captured Mthethwa stopping his black Porsche 911 Carrera near a 23-year-old sex worker in the early hours of the morning of April 14, 2013 in Woodstock. He then allegedly stamped on and kicked Nokuphila Kumalo to death with “booted feet”.
Mthethwa has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is currently out on bail of R100 000. Earlier in the trial, state witness Porsche salesman Ruaan Steynfaardt told the court that the Porsche seen in the footage matched the car he had sold to Mthethwa.
But, on Monday, Pretorius testified that after examining video footage, stills and a power point presentation provided by the State he could only identify the car as a Porsche 911 of the 991 series. He said he had tried to enlarge the images, but they became pixillated and it was impossible to determine the design of the wheel spokes or any unique features.
Pretorius was also given Mthethwa's tax invoice from when he purchased the car: “I cannot tie that car (seen in the footage) to this invoice. I think that sums it up”.
Western Cape High Court Judge Patricia Goliath postponed the case to Wednesday at 2pm, as the next witness was not immediately available. She lambasted Booth for not having the next witness ready: “This case has been going on for longer than a year. The defence had ample time to determine how to conducts its defence”.
“Please make this court happy, and show the court this case is progressing”.
Kumalo's mother shook her head as the case was postponed to Wednesday.
Eva Kumalo said she was “sick and tired of the case”. She complained that she had to miss work and just wants the case to be over. “I miss my daughter, but she is dead, I can't wake her up”.
African News Agency