Mining magnate Brett Kebble, who was shot dead in Johannesburg in September, was probably hit by rare, ”low velocity” bullets used by bodyguards and anti-terrorist operatives, the Sunday Times reported.
The newspaper said an autopsy performed three days after the murder found that the muzzle of a gun was rammed into Kebble’s jaw with such force that it had produced a deep black bruise and ”contusions”.
”The bullets were probably a rare, ‘low velocity’ typed used by bodyguards and crack security operatives,” the newspaper said.
”Experts said the purpose of this type of bullet — which requires a specially adapted pistol — was to hit assassins and terrorists without passing through their bodies and hitting bystanders or hostages.”
Kebble’s body was found slumped in the driver’s seat of his Mercedes in the suburb of Melrose around 9pm on September 27, about 400m from a road where at least one gunman shot him through an open window.
The autopsy was performed by Free State chief pathologist Professor Jan Botha with the assistance of the state pathologist on the case, Professor Hendrik Scholtz.
It found that Kebble, who was healthy and had almost half a kilogram of undigested food in his stomach, tried to shield himself from the attack with his right arm and by turning his body away from the shots.
”The deceased raised his right arm in a flexed position as a defensive action and turned to his left, away from the assailant while the shooting was in progress,” the report said.
Kebble was struck by seven bullets and not six as was previously reported.
The bullets were ”full copper jacket” 9mm projectiles.
Some, ”if not all”, were fired from a range of less than half a metre.
Only four of the seven bullets caused ”severe injury”, by entering Kebble’s neck and torso.
None of the four fatal 9mm bullets exited the body.
Gunpowder burns on Kebble’s neck and shoulder indicated that ”some, if not all, of the shots were fired at close range, probably within 50cm of the deceased”.
Despite the closer range, the gunpowder burns in general were not severe, providing further evidence that the ammunition was of a special ”reduced charge”.
Botha explained why Kebble had been able to drive away but crash a few hundred metres later, saying he has lost consciousness ”rapidly” after being struck by the seventh bullet because an artery feeding blood to the brain was damaged.
The report said a deep black facial bruise and cut on Kebble’s face ”was strongly suggestive of an additional assault on the deceased, almost certainly caused by blunt force [from] the muzzle of a firearm”.
Kebble’s father, Roger Kebble, said he understood that his son had been struck by a hard object.
”The attack was violent enough as it was,” he said.
Responding to a question on the ”slow” bullets, Kebble said: ”I am not a ballistics expert. I’m very happy with the investigation.”
Dominic Ntsele, a friend of Brett Kebble, said the revelation of the assault was further evidence of the ”viciousness” of the killer, who he believed was ”clearly a person Brett trusted enough to wind down his window”. – Sapa