Johannesburg - The man kidnapped and assaulted, allegedly by Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir and five others, told a court on Monday about his injuries and distrust of police due to the assault.
“I got injured on top of my head, the skin peeled off,” Bheki Lukhele said pointing to his head, in the High Court in Johannesburg, sitting in Palm Ridge.
“My skin peeled off because of the water. The skin on the left side of my head and on my upper body.”
Lukhele, who testified for the State, was being cross-examined by Annelene van den Heever, for Krejcir.
Lukhele earlier told the court Krejcir poured boiling water over his head while he was being held captive in June last year.
Krejcir, Desai Luphondo, warrant officers Samuel Modise Maropeng and George Nthoroane, Jan Lefu Mofokeng, and Siboniso Miya are charged with dealing in drugs, and the attempted murder and kidnapping of Lukhele.
Lukhele earlier told the court he was kidnapped from his Katlehong home on June 25 by Krejcir and his five co-accused.
Lukhele's brother Doctor worked for a cargo company at OR Tambo International airport. He apparently disappeared with 25kg of crystal methamphetamine (tik) he was supposed to help transport to Australia, allegedly for Krejcir.
Lukhele was allegedly held at Krejcir's Money Point gold exchange business in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, and tortured in a bid to have him reveal his brother's whereabouts.
Van den Heever questioned Lukhele about a doctor's report on his injuries and when he made his statements on what happened. He said in October a police officer called him to say police wanted to meet him.
Van den Heever asked Lukhele if the police identified themselves.
“They showed a police identity card and because of my experience I did not completely trust them,” he said.
He earlier told the court that when he was kidnapped from his Katlehong home one of the men showed him a police identity card.
After he was freed he went to see a doctor on June 30. Lukhele took a J88 form medical certificate, which he got from the investigating officer, for the doctor to fill out. Van den Heever said the certificate had a different doctor's stamp on it and the signature had an “uncanny similarity” to the investigating officer's.
She questioned him on evidence he gave earlier that the men used his T-shirt to blindfold him at his house.
“I assume that would've left you bare chested. You had no other clothes on underneath?”
Lukhele said had a lumberjacket over the T-shirt.
“A man put his hand underneath the lumberjacket and ripped the T-shirt off,” he explained.
He said because he was blindfolded he could not identify everyone that was involved.
Images of Lukhele are not allowed to be published because he is in witness protection.
During the cross-examination Krejcir occasionally turned around, smiled and winked at his wife in the public gallery.
Lukhele rarely looked at Krejcir, except when he stood up to point him out.
The trial was adjourned to 11.30am on Tuesday.
Sapa