Cape Town - The alleged killers of a Cape Town police officer who was gunned down while attempting to apprehend suspected robbers will likely know their fate next week.
The two accused – Sicelo Kwayimani and Mgonseni Silnelo – appeared in the Western Cape High Court on Friday where Judge Sakkie Maartens began handing down judgment.
They are accused of murdering 30-year-old Kraaifontein police officer Constable Rozelle Witbooi on February 13 last year.
Witbooi and her partner, Warrant Officer Jonathan Koopman, were responding to an armed robbery allegedly involving Kwayimani and Silnelo.
It is alleged that Kwayimani and Silnelo were part of a group of people who had carried out an armed robbery at a vegetable farm in Kraaifontein. They had allegedly tied up the farm owner, robbed him of his cellphone and laptop, robbed his employees of their cellular phones, and locked the employees in an unused cold room.
The farm manager reported the robbery after the suspects fled the scene.
Witbooi and Koopman began searching for the suspects. While parked near an entrance to the farm, Witbooi and Koopman noticed two suspicious looking men “sweating profusely and out of breath”. These suspects were, according to evidence presented, Kwayimani and Silnelo.
After approaching the two men - who allegedly refused to engage with Koopman - Witbooi noticed that one of the suspects was carrying a firearm.
When she alerted Koopman, a tussle ensued. Shots were fired, and out of Koopman’s sight, Witbooi was fatally shot.
Koopman had managed to shoot both suspects, but one had managed to flee the scene and was arrested a few days later in the Eastern Cape.
Judge Maartens on Friday summarised this and additional evidence which had been presented during the trial.
Both accused are charged with murder in relation to Witbooi’s death.
In addition, they face 12 counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances in connection with the hold up at the vegetable farm.
They also face charges of kidnapping, attempted murder, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The accused had pleaded not guilty on all counts.
Furthermore, they denied ever having set foot on the farm and said they were “innocent passersby”.
“The accused maintain that they did not know each other from a bar of soap,” said Maartens.
The evaluation of the evidence would form the second part of Maartens’ judgement. This would take place next week Wednesday at the High Court.
Both suspects remain in custody.
ANA