Police officers shot ANC councillor multiple times in front of his girlfriend, court told
THE Durban Regional court this week learned that ANC Ward 99 councillor Mnqobi Molefe was asked to kneel in front of his girlfriend before he was shot in the head allegedly by two policemen.
The two SAPS members who were stationed at Mkomaas (eMkhomazi) police station, Mayendran Collin Chetty and Thanduxolo Vincent Phelago are currently on trial for killing Molefe, Pilayelo Sydney Buthelezi, Nhlonipho Cyril Nzimande and Victor Mqapheli Cele on October 11, 2022.
A state witness who cannot be named because of concerns for their safety, told the court that on the fateful day, she heard footsteps outside her home and when she peeped through the window she saw that it was police officers. Molefe and her son were in the witness's home.
“I told him that the people outside are the police. He said I must not open because he wants to get dressed,” said the witness.
State prosecutor advocate Nhlanhla Shange asked the witness how she knew that the men were police. The witness said she saw their uniforms, and they also said they were officers.
She said the policemen banged the door differently and asked that they open up.
The one police officer who was speaking had an Indian accent, and he said they were looking for a stolen motor vehicle. “He said a motor vehicle that was outside was stolen,” said the witness.
The witness said the police kicked the door and broke it. She said the door hit her as she was standing by it and she fell on the sofa.
“Molefe explained that the car belonged to him; he had just purchased it from Toyota,”
She said the cops instructed him to come out and kneel in front of his girlfriend and raise his hands.
“Mnqobi continued to explain and said he is a councillor and he bought the car. He did not even finish saying that, they shot him at close range in the head. I don’t know how many gunshots were fired as I closed my ears because the first gunshot was too much. He was shot multiple times,” explained the witness.
She said she could see the movement of Molefe’s body as he was being shot and the arm of the man shooting him. She said after they finished shooting they exited the house but one of the policemen returned to fire another shot. After the firearm made a clicking sound and he exited. She said she saw the structure of the cop that was shooting.
She said after the policemen left she went outside to shout for help from an aunt who is her neighbour.
“She came and neighbours also came. We went back inside the house with aunty and she confirmed that Molefe is dead,” she said.
Shange told the witness that her son (the witness’s son) testified to the court that during an identity parade, he pointed to someone who was number five.
“He pointed to that person and that is accused one (Chetty). It was put to your son that when the accused were arrested their photos were circulated to social media. When you took your son to the identity parade did any of the officers show you pictures from social media or inform you of who you should point to at the ID parade?” asked Shange.
The witness said no. However, defence counsel advocate GJ Leppan said it would be the evidence of his client (Chetty) that he heard footsteps during the identity parade and a woman’s voice saying number five.
The witness said she did not know that. She said she went to the identity parade because her son was underage at the time.
Before the case was postponed to April 2025, the accused instructed Leppan to inform the court that they have been incarcerated for two years.
