Byline: Nhlambo Nhlambo
02 June 2023
The accused are Daniel Cornelius Malan (38), Cornelius Lourens Greyling(26), Othard Johan Klingenberg (53), Ignatius Michael Steynberg (31), Zenzele Mzikayise Patrick Yende (48), Andries Pienaar (32) and Werner Potgieter (48).
The alleged suspects are appearing before court in connection with the murder of Mgcini Coka and Zenzele Coka.
The seven accused are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, obstructing the course of justice and contravention of the firearms act.
The defence delivered final arguments at the Evander Magistrate’s court on Wednesday, 31 May 2023.
The defence argued all the accused No. 5 and 6 were not on the scene of the incident during the shooting and it’s common course that accused No.7 was not on the scene.
All 7 accused deny that they fired any shots to harm the residents on the fateful day and further argued that none of the accused killed the deceased two as all tests were done on all the accused fire arms 17 fire arms including Mr Moolmans and the projectile found on deceased two did not link any of the accused.
Cartridges of accused No.2 were found on the scene together with those of Mr Moolmans.
If Mr Eric Hlatshwayo had not arrived at the scene and conducted himself the way he did, none of the incident would have happened.
The defence also submitted that if there is any witness who testified that the weapon used during the incident was a certain centimeter, whereas it was not, that evidence can not be taken in.
He also argued that the witness testified that accused No.3 fired the third shot, which they deem not true as they say accused No.3 fired the first shot at the ground.
Therefore, his version and affidavit to the police was wrong in many different ways.
Argued that the state witnesses changed the version of the events which took place on the fateful day.
Judgement is set to be delivered on Monday, 05 June 2023 at the Middelburg High Court.
