The police officer investigating the murder of Kaizer Chiefs defender Luke Fleurs has told the court that there is currently no evidence placing the six suspects arrested in connection with his murder at the crime scene.
Investigating office detective Sgt Nare Benedict Moloto said the police do not have any evidence that directly links the six suspects. None of it links them to the murder of Fleurs and the hijacking of his car, as well as where he was murdered.
Moloto was testifying in court on Tuesday about the “hiding place” where the suspects were arrested, and on accused number four Franky Xaba’s case of possession of stolen goods (car parts), opened against him at Doornkop police station in February.
Ndumiso Ndura Moswane, 26, Fernando Nando Sive, 25, Nhlakanipho Dlamini, 21, Xaba, 25, Maredi Mphahlele, 36, and Thembinkosi Hlomikhawu, 31, made their sixth appearance at the Roodepoort magistrate’s court on Tuesday.
State is opposing bail
Their case was back in court for the continuation of their bail application, which the state is opposing.
The suspects face charges of murder (accessory after the fact). They are also charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances, and defeating the ends of justice.
Fleurs was shot and killed on April 3 by two armed men during a hijacking. This happened at the Shell petrol station at the Constantia service centre in Florida, Roodepoort, Johannesburg.
The six suspects were arrested in Slovoville, Soweto, last month.
Police said Fleurs’ luxury red VW Golf 8 GTI vehicle was recovered last month.
They believe that the six suspects are part of a syndicate that is responsible for car hijackings in Gauteng. The search for more suspects is continuing.
During the court proceedings on Tuesday, magistrate Delise Smith started the case by asking Moloto about the suspects’ “hiding place”. Also about Xaba’s pending criminal case of possession of stolen car parts.
Afterwards, state prosecutor Paseka Temeki posed questions to Moloto.
Briefly after that, lawyer for Moswane, Sive and Dlamini, Ingrid Mainule, cross-examined Moloto.
Lawyer for Xaba, Mphahlele, and Hlomikhawu, Shibu Molefe, also cross-examined Moloto.
During cross-examination, Moloto said none of the suspects resisted or fought with police when they were arrested last month.
None of the suspects, he continued, were found with a firearm in their possession.
“At this stage, we cannot place them [six suspects] at the crime scene. Our investigations are ongoing,” said Moloto.
Evidence proves that suspects have information on who committed the murder
Moloto did hasten to add that there is evidence that proves that the six suspects have more information about who committed the murder. Also who robbed Fleurs of his car.
After the cross-examination of Moloto, Smith said she wants to give the state and defence lawyers time to prepare arguments.
Smith postponed the matter to Thursday, May 16, to give time to the state and defence to prepare arguments on the appropriate criminal law schedule the offences fall under with regards to the suspects.
She said only after these arguments will she give all parties an opportunity to give their closing arguments on the bail application.
During the start of their bail application last month, the suspects told the court that they did not kill Fleurs. They also denied robbing him of his car. They said the state’s case against them is weak and therefore cannot link them to the crimes they are accused of committing.
Suspects claim they took the car after seeing it parked in the street
Moloto’s affidavit was read in court last month by Temeki in a bid to oppose the suspects’ bail application. He said police obtained statements from the suspects and they admitted to being in possession of Fleurs’ red VW Golf 8 GTI vehicle. They said the purpose was to strip it and sell its parts.
Moloto said the suspects claimed that they saw Fleurs’ car parked in front of someone’s yard for days. Then they decided to take it for their own benefit.
Moloto said the keys of Fleurs’ car was found in the possession of the suspects.
