Cape Town - Four friends’ sex-fuelled joyride with a prostitute ended in death after one of the men - a paraplegic - was found brutally beaten.
Marvin Manuel was pronounced dead on March 30, the day he was meant to celebrate his 32nd birthday.
Marvin was admitted to hospital with severe head injuries and a collapsed lung after he was found on the side of the road in Kraaifontein last month.
His friend Buran Blankenberg now faces a murder charge after he was arrested in Marvin’s car.
According to police, Marvin was last seen on March 14 when he met up with friends Cheslyn, Neville and Blankenberg at around 10pm.
During Blankenberg’s bail application in the Blue Downs Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, shocking details emerged.
Investigating officer, Warrant Officer Martin, informed the court the four men drove to Sholoza Villas and picked up a prostitute.
“She got into the car and they drove to a church in Hof Street,” he said.
“According to a statement, the lady [prostitute] said she was informed to have sexual acts with the deceased but he had an epileptic seizure and was calmed down by the witness [prostitute].
“They also used drugs.”
At that stage Neville left the group and the three men and the prostitute drove off.
The cop says Blankenberg allegedly beat Marvin when he could not give him the R300 he had asked for.
The group then drove to Goodwood where they dropped Cheslyn.
“They [Blankenberg, Marvin and the prostitute] then drove to Bellville, Tygerberg and then Cape Town,” said Martin.
“At every stop, the deceased was asked for money by the accused and when he did not produce it, he was assaulted.
“The head of the deceased was banged against the car and the accused hit the deceased with his own head.
“When the car stopped, the lady [prostitute] managed to escape and went to the Cape Town Police Station.”
Martin says nobody knows what happened during the time Marvin was left alone with Blankenberg.
The suspect was arrested nearly two days after their joyride when someone recognised Marvin’s car and saw Blankenberg behind the wheel.
Family members say Marvin spent over three weeks in hospital before he died.
His mother Marcelle Manuel says she is devastated.
“Marvin’s brother’s death last year put him in a bad state of depression and he was never the same,” she tells the Daily Voice.
It emerged in court that Blankenberg has two pending court cases against him, one of assault and another for attempted murder.
Magistrate Francis Makhamandela postponed the matter to next week to conclude the bail application.
Daily Voice