The man accused of killing the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry witness Marius van der Merwe, also known as Witness D, says that vehicle tracking data does not place him at the crime scene.
Matipandile Sotheni’s lawyer read out an affidavit in the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court east of Johannesburg. In it the accused says he was two streets away from the scene and therefore could not have witnessed the crime.
Sotheni’s continuing his bail application.
Van der Merwe was shot dead outside his home in Brakpan in December last year.
Sotheni’s lawyer is Nthabiseng Mohomane, “It is important to inform the court that at the time of this alleged offence, I was not in Gold Street where Mr. van der Merwe resides. My tracker has not placed me there. A dark-coloured hatchback approached slowly and it is the occupants of this car that fired two shots at the deceased. The state does not give an explanation to the court that at some point it was a white party that was shot. The state does not give an explanation to the court that at some point, it was a white bakkies that was shot. This shows the timeline is not clear. The state has not explained this properly.”
