Court hears Andile 'Bobo' Mbuthu murder suspects were tortured
Claims of police torture have been made in the matter against five men accused of killing Tongaat teenager Andile ‘Bobo’ Mbuthu.
The 16-year-old boy was assaulted and his body was dumped in a local river after he was accused of stealing liquor at a tavern three years ago.
On Thursday, a police officer took the stand in a trial within a trial to determine the admissibility of evidence.
Lieutenant Colonel Samukele Nxumalo told the Verulam Magistrate's Court he received a phone call from the head of investigations in the KZN SAPS in the early hours of May 8 2020, asking him to go to his office at KwaMashu Police Station.
The court heard shortly after he arrived, accused number 1 Andile Nhleko was brought in for a pointing-out procedure.
READ: Court hears Andile 'Bobo' Mbuthu's siblings found him at accused's home
Nxumalo explained that as required, he checked and found no signs of assault on Nhleko's body before and after the accused took police to the spot where Bobo's body was dumped.
Defence lawyer Chris Gounden then read out a medical report which referred to fresh, fine razor blade cuts on Nhleko’s back.
When he asked why Nxumalo had left them out of his report, the officer replied that he hadn't noticed them as they had not been visible to the naked eye.
Gounden put it to him that incisions were a result of torture during questioning in the 12 hours between Nhleko's arrest and his being taken to KwaMashu SAPS.
