One of the two men accused of killing Carletonville teenager Kalin Jooste ”enjoyed posing for the camera” as he showed police the scene of the attack, the Ramsgate High Court heard on Tuesday.
Captain Ivan Van Wyk said: ”I found it very strange that he faced such serious charges, but the body language was that of a person who didn’t care. It seemed to be an everyday occurrence to him.”
Thembisile Pilisi (19) and Vukile ”Chico” Sinama (20) have both pleaded not guilty to last year’s attack on Zelne Maritz and Jooste.
Pilisi and Sinama allegedly attacked and robbed Jooste (16) and her friend Maritz on December 20 outside a nightclub in Margate. Jooste died at the scene after she was stabbed in the throat.
Van Wyk said: ”It was as if he [Pilisi] was enjoying the show,” as the police photographer took pictures at the ”pointing-out” that placed Pilisi at the scene of the crime.
Both Pilisi and Sinama have claimed they were assaulted by police officers who forced them to sign statements placing them at the scene of the crime.
Van Wyk, who is based at the Scottburgh police station, said he did not believe that Pilisi was ”acting at ease” to hide the fact that he had been assaulted.
Pilisi’s defence counsel, Zina Anastasiou, said Pilisi did not want to show that he had been assaulted by the officers at the Amanzimtoti police station where he was taken shortly after his arrest in Umbumbulu. He feared being assaulted again.
On Monday, Judge Jan Hugo declared Sinama’s confession inadmissible because it could not be ruled out beyond a reasonable doubt that Sinama had been coerced into making a statement.
Sinama told the court that police inspectors Ernest Nkabane and Basil Crouse slapped him and then choked him with a tube.
Another police officer arrived later and Sinama was subjected to electrical shock after an electrical cord was attached to his little finger, Sinama testified.
Pilisi testified that he had been slapped across the ear and kicked in his buttocks.
In the two statements taken shortly after he was arrested, Pilisi admits to being involved in the attack, but denies killing Jooste. He blames Sinama.
”According to you the truth is: I saw what happened, but I did not commit it,” said Hugo as he clarified conflicting testimony from Pilisi, who had initially told the court that he did not know anything.
Late on Tuesday, Hugo ruled that statements taken from Pilisi by police could be accepted as evidence. He said he would give reasons for his decision later in the trial.
Earlier in the day the court heard evidence from Dr Ihrsan Khan that Pilisi had no fresh injuries the day after his arrest on January 31.
The trial was postponed until Thursday. — Sapa