Cape Town - The testimony provided by the only remaining eyewitness in the ongoing Khayelitsha mass shooting trial has been challenged and brought into question.
Yesterday the teenager, only known as Mr Z, took the stand again in the High Court sitting in the Goodwood Prison Circuit Court, where he is testifying in the murder trial of Yanga “Bara” Nyalara and Wanda Tofile.
Earlier this week, Mr Z testified that he followed Nyalara and Tofile as they allegedly killed 12 people and wounded 6 on May 15, 2021, in Site B.
The witness, who was 15 years old at the time, was at a house shop when he and his friends heard gunshots and then decided to follow the group of 10-15 suspects, of which only three didn’t conceal their identity.
Mr Z told the court on Monday that he recognised both the accused and another man known only as Thulani.
Thulani was never charged for the murders as he was gunned down shortly after the incident, a source said.
The defence asked the witness yesterday about the statements he made. The witness confirmed he had made a statement to the police in his mother’s presence at the Somerset West detective office.
It was read to him and he signed each page after he was satisfied with its contents.
Nyalara’s lawyer read the statement, which had several parts redacted back to the witness.
In the first sentence of the statement Mr Z mentioned he was at a Somali-owned shop in the Y-Section of Site B with his friends but could not remember the name of the shop.
The witness said the officers didn’t record it properly as he had mentioned the name of the spaza.
He told the court a male officer took the statement, excused himself to go to the toilet, and a lady officer took over. The lawyer continued reading, where Mr Z stated he was outside and saw a group of about 15 people coming from the Phase 1 area.
“I never said I was outside, I was inside the shop. Once again the police officers did not write the statement properly. I explained to the police officer what he had written is not what I said and the police officer assured me that he would correct the statement. They told me they were in a hurry and will come back to me.”
Mr Z said he signed the statement after they promised that they would correct it as they were in a hurry.
He confirmed the statement was read back to him in his mother’s presence. There was also a dispute about what he said that Nyalara wore on the day.
The statement mentioned he was wearing a white top but Mr Z dismissed it, saying he never said anything about a white top. The statement read that he knew Nyalara, but he explained he knew of him and didn’t have knowledge about him.
The statement read that Nyalara has a dark complexion and has burn scars. He dismissed that saying he never said he was dark. He told the police that he was coffee-coloured and had spots.
Mr Z confirmed that some things in the statement were right but the majority of the things written in the statement were incorrect.
The trial continues.
Cape Argus