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News24 reports that the defence attorney representing eight former VIP police officers assigned to protect Deputy President Paul Mashatile accused the driver of a VW Polo of deliberately disregarding the official convoy, posing a direct threat to Mashatile's safety.
The defence presented the Randburg Magistrate’s Court with aerial images from Joburg N1 highway footage in July 2023 to show that there was a convoy and that the witness "couldn’t have missed it". The officers were caught on a video that went viral, showing them allegedly dragging a man from the VW Polo and kicking him as he lay on the ground. The accused face 12 charges, including pointing a firearm, reckless and negligent driving, malicious damage to property, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, obstruction of justice, and assault by threat. The witness cannot be named due to a court ruling. Defence lawyer Mswazi Makhubele put it to the witness that the officers were in convoy with blue lights that day. "Can you see that the cars on the screen have blue lights?" he asked. The witness, who claimed that he did not see blue lights on that day, replied: "I can see the blue lights in this picture, but on that day, I don’t remember seeing any blue lights." He proceeded to point out that in other images provided as evidence he could not see the blue lights. Makhubele proceeded to ask the witness about the injuries he had sustained. He asked why the witness, who was seen lying unconscious on the ground in the video, did not go to the doctor on the day of the incident. The trial was adjourned because the defence did not possess a copy of an exhibit necessary for questioning the witness effectively. The trial will continue on Wednesday.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Aphelele Mbokotho at News24
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