Mfuleni constable too sick to testify in Peter case

Peter, her husband Isaac Mbadu and their co-accused Azola Dayimani and Christopher Dina, are on trial in the Western Cape High Court for the kidnapping, assault and murder of Rowan du Preez in early hours of 13 October 2012.

He died in hospital after suffering severe burn wounds as he had been assaulted and necklaced.

Du Preez, who was known to be a member of the Hard Livings gang, was suspected of stealing the couple’s TV from their Mfuleni home in the early hours of 11 August 2012.

It was submitted as hearsay evidence that before Du Preez died, he named “Angy en haar man” as the people who were responsible for his attack to the police officers who found him after his attack.

It is the couple’s defence that they were at home sleeping at the time of the attack.

They also claim that they were being framed by police because of Peter’s quarrels with police for her work with the Social Justice Coalition(SJC).

During his testimony on Monday 11 August, it was revealed that Stanford Warren Muthian of Mfuleni police station had no formal detective training while investigating this matter two years ago.

When asked to recall certain details, Muthian said he could not recall and needed time to look through the case docket.

Muthian and sergeant Lesley Freeman were subpoenaed by Judge Robert Henney to testify after the state and defence closed their cases.

Muthian who was excused from the witness box on 12 August, was meant to take the stand again two days later after he told the court his throat was sore and he needed to see a doctor.

On 14 August, a sergeant from Mfuleni police station produced a doctor’s note from Muthian which stated that he had pharyngitis and was to be booked off sick for three days.

Judge Henney remanded the matter until Monday, 18 August when Muthian is expected to return to the stand.