News / Africa
Herdboy absolves Chief Mathiba’s sons Claims police brutally forced him to lie.
01 Mar 2016 at 05:49hrs | Views
The Mmathethe murder case involving Chief Daniel Mathiba's two sons took a new twist this week when the fourth suspect, Gindra Stegling confessed that he single handedly killed the deceased Zimbabwean herdboy.
The Voice reported that John Ngwenya's body was found in Mmarole lands on January 26 tied to a pole and with multiple injuries.
Chief Mathiba's sons Ofentse Phenyo Mathiba, 28, Tumisang Tshidiso Mathiba, 34 and third suspect Thato Shadrack Koosaletse, 23, were then arrested on February 8 after they were implicated in the ritual murder.
They appeared before Lobatse Chief Magistrate Dipate Mareledi last week where they were granted bail and appeared again on Monday for mention where the fourth suspect, Stegling was also brought before the courts.
A visibly teary and disturbed Stegling who is also a herdboy made the startling confession much to the astonishment of the audience and relief from other suspects who stood in the dock with their eyes glued on their co-accused.
He told court that he is the one who reported to the police that the chief's son had killed Ngwenya yet they are not responsible for the crime.
"Tota banna ba ke a ba golega (loosely translated honestly it would be wrong to implicate these men)," said Stegling.
He also claimed that he implicated them under duress and to save himself from more police brutality.
"They covered my face during interrogation and I was scared that I was going to die," he said.
Stegling pleaded with the court to grant him bail saying he had been in police custody for a long time.
He was however denied bail with the magistrate saying he must undergo a mental check-up.
The Voice reported that John Ngwenya's body was found in Mmarole lands on January 26 tied to a pole and with multiple injuries.
Chief Mathiba's sons Ofentse Phenyo Mathiba, 28, Tumisang Tshidiso Mathiba, 34 and third suspect Thato Shadrack Koosaletse, 23, were then arrested on February 8 after they were implicated in the ritual murder.
They appeared before Lobatse Chief Magistrate Dipate Mareledi last week where they were granted bail and appeared again on Monday for mention where the fourth suspect, Stegling was also brought before the courts.
A visibly teary and disturbed Stegling who is also a herdboy made the startling confession much to the astonishment of the audience and relief from other suspects who stood in the dock with their eyes glued on their co-accused.
He told court that he is the one who reported to the police that the chief's son had killed Ngwenya yet they are not responsible for the crime.
"Tota banna ba ke a ba golega (loosely translated honestly it would be wrong to implicate these men)," said Stegling.
He also claimed that he implicated them under duress and to save himself from more police brutality.
"They covered my face during interrogation and I was scared that I was going to die," he said.
Stegling pleaded with the court to grant him bail saying he had been in police custody for a long time.
He was however denied bail with the magistrate saying he must undergo a mental check-up.
Source - The Voice
