Verulam court hears how teen Bobo was beaten to death
A murder-accused who's turned state witness in the Andile Mbuthu murder
trial has detailed how he took a video of the badly beaten teenager in a
Tongaat shebeen.
Andile, who was also known as Bobo, was beaten to death during lockdown in 2020 after being accused of stealing liquor.
His body was found in a local river, days after being reported missing by his family.
Five accused are standing trial in the Verulam Magistrate's Court.
The court on Friday heard how shebeen owner Mlungisi Thabethe, who is now deceased, had accused Bobo and an accomplice of breaking into Magugule Shebeen and stealing his stock.
Thabethe and the accused are said to have gone to the home of the accomplice to recover the stolen alcohol.
The court heard they brought Bobo with them but told the boy to wait in the car.
The mother of the alleged alcohol thief told them she did not where her son was but invited Thabethe to search his room, which was locked.
The state witness told the court Thabethe kicked down the door, and upon searching the room, found several 24 packs of canned liquor.
The group went back to the tavern and Thabethe allegedly ordered that Bobo be taken to the 'VIP' room.
The state witness said the 16-year-old was assaulted with various objects ranging from a baseball bat, a shambok and wooden planks.
The witness admitted to having also taken his turn to beat Bobo, saying his round lasted a good ten minutes.
State prosecutor, Sidwall Ngadu asked why the boy was subjected to the beatings considering the alcohol had already been recovered.
The witness replied that not all of the beverages had been accounted for.
The court heard at some point, the state witness went back into the room and recorded a video on his phone of Bobo being kicked.
He was lying in a pool of blood and repeatedly saying sorry. This would be the video that would later go viral under #JusticeForBobo.
READ: Suspect linked to Andile Mbuthu's murder killed in drive-by shooting
The man told the court that he later went into the room and the teenager was unresponsive. The court heard he took an empty bottle and filled it with water to give to Bobo.
The state witness said he checked for signs of life by placing his hand near Bobo's nose and realised he'd stopped breathing.
The trial continues.
