/ 7 August 2007

Four ex-cops on murder charges

The discovery of a mutilated body on the N1 highway near Vanderbijlpark seven years ago resulted on Tuesday in three former police officers and a former reservist going on trial on charges of kidnapping and murder.

Former police officers Henry Beukes (43) of Randfontein, Magiel Andries Burger (35) of Krugersdorp and Felokwane David Goqo (38) of Kagiso, along with former police reservist Joachim Petrus Prinsloo of Randfontein, have pleaded not guilty in the Pretoria High Court to charges of kidnapping and murdering 29-year-old Sandy Botomane in May 2000.

The state alleges that the accused had assaulted Botomane while questioning him about the theft of R1,2-million in cash from the Putco bus company, where Botomane was employed.

It is alleged that the four threw Botomane — who was either still alive or already dead — on to the highway to make his death appear like a road accident.

Private investigator Jasper Prinsloo, who was for a while involved in the Putco theft investigation, testified that Botomane was one of ten Putco employees fingered as being ”definitely” involved in the theft following lie-detector tests.

Putco’s security company laid a criminal charge with police and employed private investigators to investigate the theft.

Prinsloo said the arrest and questioning of suspects was not yet at that stage an option and as far as he knew the police investigating officer — whom he had never met — had to make such a decision.

He said he was shocked on hearing about Botomane’s death and immediately withdrew from the theft investigation.

He said Beukes, who had attended the meeting where suspects were identified, had told him Botomane ”had been arrested”.

Beukes on Tuesday handed a statement to the court in which he denied having anything to do with Botomane’s death, although he admitted that the man had been one of the suspects in the Putco case.

Beukes was at that stage on sick leave from the police, but doing contract work as an investigator for a private firm.

He said he had deliberately not accompanied his fellow accused when they went to question Botomane and another suspect, and went home because he was feeling ill that day.

When he later phoned Burger, he was told that Botomane had agreed to point out the house where the other suspect lived. Burger later told him that Botomane had fled while pointing out a house in Sebokeng.

Beukes said he was by then feeling so ill that he was admitted to hospital and was still in hospital when Botomane was, according to experts, killed in the early hours of May 24 2000.

Beukes denied that he had ever given instructions for anyone to remove Botomane against his will.

The other accused admitted that they had seen Botomane the day before, but denied having anything to do with his death.

The trial continues. — Sapa