Security camera footage depicting events leading up to the deaths of Amos and Zenzele Coka on 9 April materially contradicts witness testimony against the four farmers and a farm manager charged with the murders, the defence told the court in Piet Retief this morning.
The state questions the reliability of the footage, suggesting that it may have been edited. However, investigating officer Warrant Officer Nhlapho, who attended a viewing of the footage today by the state and defence teams, admitted that witness accounts were ‘incorrect’ in material respects, telling the court that some of the witnesses the state was relying on had told ‘a blatant lie’.
The contents of the footage of events at the farm Pampoenkraal on 9 April were relayed to the court by Nhlapho at the resumption today of the bail hearing of the five accused, farmers Daniel Malan, Cornelius Greyling, Othard Klingenberg, Ignatius Steynberg, and farm manager Zenzele Yende. They face charges of murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, and defeating the ends of justice.
The defence argued that the video evidence had only recently brought to its attention and that its material contradiction of the state’s witnesses rendered the case against the five accused so weak that bail must be granted.
The footage, which the Daily Friend has seen, evidently shows that the first altercation on 9 April on Pampoenkraal farm took the form of several men, armed with large sticks, invading the farm and harassing farm workers. It furthermore shows that Amos Mgcini Coka was forcefully removed from the scene by one of the farm workers.
This contradicts the version given by the state, according to which seven peaceful unarmed work-seekers arrived on the scene to meekly seek jobs. It also contradicts witnesses’ claims that Amos Coka was removed in the hands of those with whom he arrived at the farm: in the video footage, it is evident the farm worker who scrummed Amos Coka out was his own brother, Zenzele Coka.
The defence maintains that Amos Coka later shot dead his brother, Zenzele, who had remained loyal to his employers at Pampoenkraal.
Piet Retief was quieter this morning than last week, as the men returned to the dock.
More than 200 police officers have been deployed in the town to keep the peace. Policing were monitoring people coming into town, and at least one arrest was made earlier today.
In addition, a larger barbed-wire perimeter has been drawn around court, providing more secure lines of defence and ensuring that amplified speeches and songs are beyond earshot of the court. Movement in the town was being monitored from the air by a police helicopter.
The scene this morning was in stark contrast to last week’s events when the start of the bail hearing was accompanied by stones being thrown at police, journalists, and others – damaging several cars – and police using stun grenades as a crowd-control measure.