Cape Town - The relatives of the man behind bars for the murder of a clergyman who was shot and killed at his home claim that he wasn’t in the area when the incident happened.
Wesbank cleric Stanley Kleinsmidt was killed on December 17.
The 62-year-old was shot in the face as he was trying to prevent the killers from shooting his grandson.
Relative Elizabeth van Wyk said: “He heard the noise and started shouting at the suspects and even swore at them, thinking they would go away, but they didn’t.
“He was sleeping alone in his room, which is on the side of the house, but has a door which is attached to the rest of his home. Two suspects pushed the gate open and then went to the room, they shot him with a gun with a silencer in front because we didn’t hear any gunshot.
“I don’t know whether they shot him after gaining entry or not.”
Yesterday afternoon, Glen Benayo appeared in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court for the killing of the apostle of the Bethesda Deliverance Tabernacle Church.
He was charged with housebreaking, murder and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The 23-year-old told the court he will be represented by a Legal Aid lawyer.
One of his family members told the Cape Argus: “On Friday, Glen came home from Belhar. He said he was going to a party in Kuils River, and then on Saturday morning the police came and collected him.
“The police said they were going to take him to the police station because he was not supposed to be in Wesbank,” he said.
“He is a gangster but that doesn’t mean he was there at the time of the shooting.”
The relative said Benayo had faced a murder charge before.
“He spent two years in jail and after that he was released after the case was withdrawn. He was charged with murder and then the court found out that he was not at the scene,” he explained.
“We hope for the same outcome with this one. He was not there, we all know that, but if it is proven that he is guilty he should then face the music and be convicted.”