Before his warning statement was taken, the man alleged to be the axe murderer assured police that he understood the purpose of the interview.
|||Durban - Before his warning statement was taken, the man alleged to be the axe murderer assured police that he understood the purpose of the interview.
Lieutenant-Colonel Jason McGray, head of detectives at the Brighton Beach SAPS who also headed the task team appointed to investigate the serial murders, obtained a warning statement from former rugby player Joseph Ntshongwana, accused of murdering his victims with an axe.
McGray, testifying at the Durban High Court, said he first informed the accused of the murders and the attempted murder.
Ntshongwana is on trial for the murders of Thembelenkosini Cebekhulu in Montclair on March 20, 2011, Paulos Hlongwa two days later, Simon Ngidi the following day, and an unidentified man some time that week. All were hacked to death with an axe.
He is accused of kidnapping and raping a woman on November 28, 2010, and of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
He also faces two charges of attempted murder. He has pleaded not guilty.
“I told him about the investigations and the purposes for the interview and enquired if he understood. He indicated that he did,” McGray said on Wednesday.
McGray said it was explained to Ntshongwana that he was not compelled to answer any of the questions. Ntshongwana who chose to conduct the interview in English, voluntarily answered questions pertaining to his age, shoe size, employment, his studies.
He told McGray that he was on medication, since 2009, for bipolar mood disorder and chatted freely about his living arrangements.
When asked if he owned a car, Ntshongwana said he did not own a car and that he used his mom’s Chevrolet Aveo, identified by a witness, which was at the panel beater.
McGray then asked how the car was damaged and Ntshongwana said he wished to remain silent.
Subsequent questions about the blood found in a rented car, his pants size, if he owned an axe, and if he could distinguish between right and wrong, Ntshongwana replied, “No comment”.
McGray on Wednesday, took the court through how the evidence of the toe-cap, placed before court on Tuesday, was obtained.
The skull of the maggot-infested body which had started to mummify was completely crushed and not decapitated as was initially thought, he said.
Cut marks on the clothing and bones indicated the victim was stabbed. McGray said he noticed that the deceased had no shoes and suggested that the toe-cap be collected as evidence.
Later while looking at photographs from the scene, in preparation for the forensic expert, McGray found the picture of the red and white Nike running shoes, with one missing toe-cap.
The court heard that police bought an axe similar to the one found in the dog kennel at Ntshongwana’s premises, to match to the victims’ wounds.
The trial continues.
rizwana.umar@inl.co.za
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