The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says it intends to call 40 state witnesses to testify in the high court trial of the hijacking and murder of Kaizer Chiefs defender Luke Fleurs.
According to the formal indictment of Fleurs’ murder case, the state witnesses consist of police officers, residents of Slovoville, Soweto, employees of the petrol station where Fleurs was murdered, and Fleurs’ family members, just to mention a few.
The formal indictment was presented at the Roodepoort Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday when the six accused in the matter appeared in court.
Six suspects face various charges
According to the indictment, Ndumiso Ndura Moswane, 28, Fernando Nando Sive, 27, Nhlakanipho Dlamini, 22, Franky Xaba, 27, Maredi Mphahlele, 38, and Thembinkosi Hlomikhawu, 33, will be facing charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and unlawfully entering and remaining in the Republic of South Africa.
During court proceedings on Wednesday, prosecutor Zanele Chauke said the matter will be transferred to the Johannesburg High Court for pre-trial proceedings.
Magistrate Anneline Africa postponed the matter to March 7 for pre-trial proceedings at the high court.
Shot during a hijacking
On April 3 last year, two armed men shot and killed Fleurs during a hijacking. This incident took place at the Constantia service centre’s Shell petrol station in Florida, Roodepoort.
After shooting Fleurs, the two armed men sped off in a white BMW vehicle.
The six accused were arrested in April in Slovoville, Soweto. Fleurs’ luxury red VW Golf 8 GTI was also recovered in April.
Police believe that the six accused are part of a syndicate responsible for car hijackings across Gauteng. The search for more suspects is ongoing.
In the indictment, the state said Fleurs’ cause of death is gunshot wound through the chest.
No evidence linking suspects to the actual murder scene
The state alleges that the six accused at all relevant times committed the crimes in execution of a common purpose.
During the suspects’ bail application in May last year, the court heard evidence from the investigating officer, detective sergeant Nare Benedict Moloto, who said the police did not have any evidence that placed the suspects at the scene where Fleurs was killed.
Moloto said police cannot directly link the suspects to the murder and hijacking of Fleurs. He noted that he cannot convince the court that the suspects planned the murder and hijacking.
Moloto added that police obtained statements from the suspects. They admitted to being in possession of Fleurs’ vehicle, which they planned to strip and sell its parts.
Suspects claim they found the victim’s car parked elsewhere
According to Moloto, the suspects claimed that they saw Fleurs’ car parked in front of someone’s yard for days. That was when they decided to steal it.
The car keys were found in the possession of the suspects, according to Moloto. However, the suspects denied that they killed Fleurs or stole his vehicle.
They informed the court that they could not be connected to the crimes they are accused of committing. And their reason is that the state’s case was weak.
