In a case that has taken a year and a half to come to trial, a taxi driver killed near Grahamstown in August 2010 had argued with his alleged attackers beforehand, the Grahamstown Regional Court heard this week.
In a case that has taken a year and a half to come to trial, a taxi driver killed near Grahamstown in August 2010 had argued with his alleged attackers beforehand, the Grahamstown Regional Court heard this week.
Phuthumile Diko, 49, his brother Mongameli Diko, 28, and Thanduxolo Simayile, 25, have been out on bail after their arrest in connection with the death of Bonakele Mqokeli. Last June Magistrate Thembela Mata postponed the case to allow two of the men to apply for a legal aid attorney.
The men allegedly kidnapped Mqokeli from his home in Extension 6 and took him to in a remote spot on the Manley Flats road, north-east of Grahamstown and struck him with a pick handle.
Testifying in court on Wednesday, taxi driver Luvuyo Loliwe, who had been with Mqokeli earlier on the night of the incident, told the court he had just parked his vehicle outside Mfanandini's Tavern in Fingo Village, when he noticed Mqokeli's taxi and approached Mqokeli.
“He (Mqokeli) asked me to go to driver of a white Mazda that was obstructing the road to [ask him to]move aside so he can be able to drive,” said Loliwe.
He said the driver of the Mazda instead swore at him.
“The driver told me to go and tell Mqokeli to drive [over]his car,” he explained. Loliwe said as he was about to report back to Mqokeli, a passenger from the Mazda approached and slapped his face. The driver, meanwhile, was arguing with Mqokeli, Loliwe said.
Asked who the driver of the vehicle was, Loliwe pointed at Phuthumile Diko.
Loliwe said he later met with Mqokeli at Nobebe's Tavern, in Extension 6. “We were drinking there, and he (Mqokeli) went out to pass urine and he never came back. That was the last time I saw him,” he said.
Loliwe admitted that he had not seen the Diko brothers and Simayile at Nobebe's Tavern that evening, and did not know who had killed Mqokeli.
The trial continues.
