Durban - Two policemen accused of the murder of a Durban man say they have an alibi - they were buying chicken at the time the crime was committed.
Phoenix police officers Theagen Naidoo and Triston Pillay are two of five men charged with the murder of Seelan Pillay.
Their co-accused are brothers Anben and Sugendran Chinsamy, and Sathasiven Reddy. All are in custody and in the process of applying for bail.
On Friday, the Verulam Magistrate’s Court will hear whether the alibis of three of the men have been verified. The investigating officer, Zimisele Hlophe, is expected to lead this evidence.
The matter was adjourned this week for the alibis to be verified after the men’s attorney, Chris Gounden, told the court they were nowhere near the scene where it is alleged that Seelan Pillay was assaulted and set alight.
Gounden said Sugendran Chinsamy had been at a clinic at the time of the incident, getting stitches.
“The two policemen were nowhere near the scene. All witnesses say they saw a marked police minibus on that day. My clients were using an unmarked vehicle on that day.”
Ex-naval officer Seelan Pillay was allegedly taken from his Redfern home in Phoenix by men in a police car soon after he returned from work. It is alleged that the officers and another man told him to accompany them to a house on Berrystone Road where he was assaulted and set alight. Pillay was alleged to have stolen two grass-
cutting machines.
Gounden said the policemen were at a fried food outlet in Phoenix at the time, and from there they went to a garage where they met other officers.
“Unfortunately, the vehicle they were using does not have a tracker, but there should be video footage available to verify their alibis.”