Durban -
A police officer investigating the death of an IFP supporter admitted on Thursday that he had not read all the eyewitness statements implicating five men accused of her murder.
Captain Cedric Nthenga first told the Durban Regional Court that there were two eyewitness statements, but under cross-examination said there were “four or five”.
Nthenga is the investigating officer in the case of five men accused of killing Inkatha Freedom Party supporter Cebisile Shezi on October 6.
He was giving evidence in the bail hearing of four of them.
Mgezeni “Bhungu” Gwala, his son Mjabulelwa Gwala, Malusi Sibusiso Ncengwa, and Skhumbuzo Nxumalo are charged with killing Shezi.
A fifth accused, Bonginhlanhla Gwala, was released on bail of R20 000 last month.
Nthenga made the admission while being questioned by advocate Paul Jorgensen about an eyewitness statement which implicated only two of the accused.
“Since you haven't read all the statements, you don't know that there might be a statement that supports the applicants' version,” said Jorgensen.
Nthenga said he believed that if the four men were released, there would be an increase in violence in KwaMashu similar to that experienced in the township in the 1980s.
Shezi was shot dead outside the Thembalihle railway station, in KwaMashu, shortly after Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa addressed IFP supporters at a sports field in A-section, KwaMashu, on October 6.
She was wearing an IFP T-shirt at the time. Mthethwa had been speaking to IFP supporters in an attempt to reduce tensions in the area. - Sapa