Himeville torture claim shot down

Statue of justice holding balanced scales in hand isolated on white background

Statue of justice holding balanced scales in hand isolated on white background

Published May 30, 2014

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Pietermaritzburg- Two Himeville murder and robbery accused who said they were forced to confess because of police assaults, showed no sign of injury, the Pietermaritzburg High Court heard on Friday.

General surgeon Dr Leon van Schalkwyk, who is in private practice near Himeville, said this when testifying for the State at the start of a trial within a trial.

Tsepiso Ramonyane, 20, and Bonginkosi Nyawose, 33, stand accused of killing Himeville timber extractor Daniel Knight and the aggravated assault and robbery of his partner of 18 years, Dilys Elizabeth Bucher, in their country home in October last year.

Van Schalkwyk told the court he examined each of their bare bodies twice, before and after they made confessions, and found no sign of injury.

The two accused, both of the nearby Bulwer district, are expected to testify that they were forced to make confessions, their counsel told the court.

The content of their confessions will be put before the court next week. Judge Jerome Mnguni will then rule whether or not the confessions can be accepted as evidence against them.

A gang of men wearing balaclavas invaded the couple's home at night and beat Knight to death. They tied up and assaulted Bucher, tying her to the pedestal of a hand basin.

A third accused is Happy Gcina, 24, also of the Bulwer area.

Sapa

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