The Post

Phoenix accused’s memory loss

CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za

ONE of the men accused of the killings and violence in Phoenix during the recent unrest could not recall the entire incident.

This emerged during his bail application in Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. Mckallen Govender appeared along with his coaccused, Yubandra Govender, Rinesh Mohan, Mehmood Khan, Sholan Reddy, Khalil Mohammed, Christopher Pillay, Kirosh Maharaj and Sumeeth Maharaj.

They were charged with murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and public violence. The murder charge relates to the death of a man who was captured on CCTV footage from a garage on Northern Drive, Phoenix, fleeing from a mob. He subsequently died.

In his affidavit for bail, Govender, 20, said he heard that a mob was going to burn down the garage.

He said he walked to the garage with the aid of a stick due to a previous knee injury.

“When I arrived at the garage, I saw a mob of people and a BMW with two African men. I picked up a rock, which was the size of my palm, and I aimed it at the BMW. I cannot recall what happened thereafter.”

Thabani Buthelezi, the State prosecutor, said CCTV footage from the garage showed the accused as one of the people standing at the front of the mob. He said two African men came to the garage in a BMW.

“When they saw the mob, the occupants jumped out of the vehicle with their hands raised in the air. But despite this, another man carrying a stick ran toward the vehicle, and the accused went behind him.”

He said the driver of the BMW ran to the back of the vehicle, but the man managed to get to him and struck him with a golf stick.

“As the driver got up to run away, the video footage showed the accused throwing a stick at him.”

Buthelezi said the accused acted in common purpose and did nothing to stop the assault.

The accused told the court he could not clearly remember what had happened. “I have gone through so much. I cannot remember things. There is so much on my mind. You cannot expect me to remember all of this.”

The bail application will continue.

NEWS

en-za

2021-09-15T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-15T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://thepostza.pressreader.com/article/281590948692124

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