Pretoria - A mystery witness is expected to give evidence on Thursday and Friday on the events surrounding the death of anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol.
The witness, a former policeman, contacted the family after watching inquest proceedings on TV, the family told the Pretoria News.
The two days are the final opportunity for people who may have any information on Timol’s death to come forward.
Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, Judge Billy Mothle last week made an urgent appeal to the community who may have any knowledge of the events of 46 years ago, when Timol plunged to his death from the then John Vorster Square building in Joburg.
The second leg of the inquest into the death of Timol on October 27, 1971, is due to close its oral evidence this week.
Legal arguments will be presented to the court at the end of next week, before the judge delivers his judgment on who should be held responsible for the teacher’s death.
Judge Mothle asked any member of the community, the secret police or even the police who may have more information which could assist the court, to come forward.
If the information proved to be vital, it could even lead to the inquest being extended, he said.
The Timol family had meanwhile echoed the request for members of the public with knowledge of the true events surrounding his death, to urgently make contact with them.
Timol’s younger brother Mohammed Timol said the family, and the country as a whole, simply wanted answers as to what the true motive behind the death was.
A magistrate who heard the inquest into his death in 1972 believed the then Secret Branch of the police that Timol had jumped to his death from the 10th floor of the building. But the Timol family had disputed this for 46 years.
A host of witnesses testifying at the inquest in the past few weeks have told of the torture tactics of the Secret Police at the time. Experts who examined the post mortem reports were adamant that Timol had suffered multiple pre-fall injuries, indicative of him being assaulted and tortured.
Former Secret Police administrative agent Jan Rodrigues, identified as the last man said to have been with Timol before he “jumped” remained tight lipped about what really happened that day. He was adamant that Timol had jumped and thus committed suicide.
However, a trajectory expert, using scientific calculations, said given the location of the body on the ground, it appeared that he was pushed rather than dropped out of the window.
Probably the most perplexing evidence was that of a witness who had filled his car with petrol that day, at a garage opposite John Vorster Square.
He was adamant that the fall occurred mid-morning and not late afternoon, as everyone had believed for the past 46 years.
This evidence prompted Judge Mothle to call two forensic pathologists back to the stand, to testify about the possible time of death. A third witness, an employee at the garage, is also due to take the stand.
The court was told that this witness was reluctant to come to court and tried to evade a subpoena being served on him.
But Judge Mothle told the investigating officer to ensure that the man was before court this week, as he may also shed more light on the time of the fall.
Timol’s nephew, Imtiaz Cajee, meanwhile said this was the last opportunity for the truth to come out. He expressed the hope that anyone with information would come forward. He said it was high time that the police “cover-up” of the events were exposed.