A police officer has been quizzed about his testimony on the condition of the bodies of two men who drowned after a 12 man gang stripped, tied them up and forced them into a lake at Rhodes Park, Kensington.
Three men who were part of the gang that also raped and sexually assaulted the wives of the drowned men have been arrested.
Thabo Nkala (25), Admore Ndlovu (23) and Mduduzi Mathibela Lawrence (32) face charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances, rape and murder in connection with the attacks on 17 October 2015.
The High Court sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, has heard how the accused were part of the gang of 12 men who also robbed, raped and assaulted the wives of the two drowned men.
On Thursday police officer, Bambatha Tshabalala, was asked if the bodies were naked when they were recovered from the lake. He initially said the bodies were “naked”.
State prosecutor, State prosecutor, asked Tshabalala to explain what he meant by “naked” to which he responded saying: “They were wearing nothing”.
Nengovhela then showed Tshabalala pictures of two bodies and asked him if their hands and feet were tied and if they were naked like he had said.
“I can see it’s the same bodies and they have T-shirts on they are feet and hands are not tied. I guess I forgot some information because it happened a long time ago,” said Tshabalala.
Lawyer Robert Xaba for the defence asked Tshabalala why he had said the bodies were naked and that their limbs were tied.
“I think it’s because when I got to the scene, the ladies told me that their husbands were undressed and their hands and feet were tied with their clothes and I used that information as my referral. Again like I said, this happened a long time ago,” said Tshabalala.
Judge Papi Masopa then asked the police officer to tell the court exactly what he remembered.
“When the bodies were retrieved, they both had foam coming from their mouth. They were cold and lifeless,” said Tshabalala.
The judge asked Tshabalala who took pictures of the bodies and who changed the positions they were found in. The policeman suggested it could be the photographer and another officer who had accompanied him to the scene.
“I didn’t touch the bodies, but I did see them being taken out of the water and their hands and feet were not tied,” recalled Tshabalala.
Both women have testified how they were attacked by the gang while strolling inside the park with their husbands.
The women told the court they were robbed and their husbands were stripped naked and their clothes were used to tie their hands before they were forced to go into the lake.
The women said they were left in the company of two men while their husbands were being forced into the lake.
“The one carrying a knife came to me and the gunman went to my friend. My attacker tried numerous times to penetrate me with his penis but he failed because his penis was soft, and then he said I must insert it but I also couldn’t,” said one of the women in her testimony earlier this week.
“He then used his fingers, after he was done he got up and when I looked on the side I saw my friend being raped by the gunman.”
Nkala, Ndlovu and Lawrence all pleaded not guilty to all charges. The other gang members are still on the run.
The trial continues.
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