Cape Town - A fight sparked by a racist remarks preceded the death of a Cape Town man in a prison cell, the Bellville District Court heard on Monday.
This was the testimony of a prisoner accused of the murder of airport freight clerk Eben Meyer, 47, in a cell at the Durbanville police station. He was arrested for drunk and disorderly behaviour on April 20 this year.
His body was found the next morning.
Daniel Dyosi, 40, and Sipho Mhlanga, 29, who have been charged with the murder, applied for bail before magistrate Jannie Kotze on Monday.
Mhlanga told the court a fight started in the cell after Meyer made racist remarks.
Mhlanga said he and the others were all asleep when Meyer arrived.
“Meyer, in his drunken state, immediately became abusive towards Dyosi, saying that k*****s were not allowed to sleep in the same room as white people.”
Mhlanga said he awoke from the commotion, as Meyer started assaulting Dyosi.
“When the deceased realised I was awake, he started beating me up as well. We allowed him to assault us for about 30 minutes, before we got tired of it and fought back,” Mhlanga said.
After they started fighting back, Meyer ceased the assault and apologised. According to Mhlanga, they gave Meyer a blanket, and around 1.30am they heard Meyer had died.
Mhlanga insisted on explaining to the court what happened that night, despite warnings that he had the right to remain silent, and that whatever he said would be used against him at his trial.
The investigating officer, Constable Bongani Lali, told the court Meyer was locked in a cell with seven other men who had also been arrested for being drunk in public.
Both Dyosi and Mhlanga were required to satisfy the court that substantial and compelling circumstances render their release on bail in the interests of justice.
The men were expected back in court on August 1 for the bail hearing to continue. - Sapa