R30 000 discount for Molosi’s head
The case against former Knysna Ward 4 councillor Velile Waxa, Knysna municipal official Mawande Makhala and Cape Town’s Vela Patrick Dumile has been deferred for a ruling in their bail applications later this month.
The three men appeared in the Knysna Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday 30 October on charges of the premeditated murder of ANC Ward 8 councillor Victor Molosi in July, and have been in custody since their arrest.
In the state’s response to the bail applications of murder accused Dumile and Makhala on 24 October, state prosecutor Vandana Premchand called the investigating officer in the case, detective Sergeant Barnard Wilson, to take the stand.
Under oath, Wilson said their organised crime unit received the relevant docket on 24 July and interviewed several witnesses. One, he said, became a state witness who informed the unit how the “whole thing” unfolded, and what follows below is Wilson’s account in a court of what the witness allegedly told him.
‘Waxa asked me to do a job’
On 15 June, the state witness allegedly received a call from Makhala who informed him that he needs someone to “do a job”. When he asked what kind of job, Makhala allegedly told the witness that someone from the Knysna council must be killed and he (Makhala) was asked by another councillor to find someone to do the job.
At the end of June, the state witness alleged, he picked up Makhala in Knysna to go to Cape Town where details of the job were discussed. This is when Makhala allegedly told the witness that it was (fellow accused) ANC Ward 4 councillor Velile Waxa who asked him to do the job, but the witness said he did not take it seriously and they returned to Knysna. Later, he allegedly told Wilson, he received another call from Makhala, who handed the phone over to Waxa and after identifying himself, Waxa apparently explained that he needed a hitman.
Feeling under pressure to help find such a person, he returned to Cape Town and contacted Dumile to do the job, before calling Makhala to inform him accordingly, the state witness alleged.
‘Shocked by sight of revolver’
On 18 July, the witness allegedly said, he received a call from Waxa asking when he planned on “bringing the guy down”. He allegedly informed Waxa that he did not have petrol money to come to Knysna. After Waxa sent R1 000 through Checkers’ Money Market, the witness alleged, he and Dumile drove to Knysna on 22 July.
When they were on their way, he allegedly told Wilson, he was shocked when Dumile took out a revolver wrapped in plastic, and he asked Dumile to throw it out because of a roadblock up ahead. But they stopped the car, left the weapon on the side of the road and returned a while later to pick it up, the witness allegedly said.
Once in Knysna, they allegedly waited for Waxa at his office in White Location (known as The Container). Arriving in his Toyota Corolla, the witness alleged, Waxa informed Dumile in his presence about “the guy that is competing” with him in politics and must be killed.
Dumile said he would do the job for R80 000, the witness alleged, but Waxa said it was too much and asked for a discount, Wilson told the court. Apparently, Dumile then agreed to do it for R50 000 but he wanted a deposit. When Waxa apparently said he only had R10 000, Dumile went outside to make a call and when he returned he told Waxa that the “guy on the phone” said Waxa must add R5 000 and they agreed on a R15 000 deposit, the witness allegedly told Wilson.
The day before the murder
The witness, Makhala showed Dumile then allegedly went to the Pop Inn tavern, where Makhala showed Molosi’s home (which is within walking distance from the tavern) to Dumile. At around 19:00 on the same day (22 July), Dumile allegedly went to the Molosi residence, knocked on the door and asked for “the councillor”. The witness allegedly told Wilson that the people in the house were surprised because nobody called Molosi “the councillor” but called him by his nickname Freeze.
When Dumile was told that Molosi was not home, he left, the witness alleged.
The next day, 23 July, the witness allegedly said, he received a call from Waxa saying he could collect the deposit. The witness, Makhala and Dumile allegedly returned to the tavern where he noticed a nervous Dumile frequenting the bathroom, he allegedly told Wilson. While sitting there, the witness allegedly said, Dumile kept disappearing and when he came back one time he informed the witness that he had been to Molosi’s house but didn’t see his car.
The night of the murder
At 19:40, Dumile went back to Molosi’s house, knocked on the door, asked for “the councillor”, was told Molosi was at a meeting and left, the witness allegedly said. Before the shooting, another witness allegedly spotted Dumile in the bushes near Molosi’s house receiving a call, and he then walked towards Molosi’s house, Wilson told the court.
After hearing gunshots, the people who were at the Molosi residence went outside to see who was shot, and found him lying opposite their home, Wilson told the court. The deceased was rushed to hospital with a bullet wound to his chest and one on top of his head, Wilson testified. He was declared dead.
According to witnesses, Wilson said, there were three gunshots. One shell case was found in Molosi’s body and the other two were found on the scene, he said, adding that forensic tests confirmed they came from the same firearm, a revolver.
Another witness in the area allegedly told Wilson he saw Dumile walking fast after the three gunshots.
Cross-examination
During Wilson’s cross-examination by Makhala’s Legal Aid lawyer Eleanore Hill, the investigating officer confirmed that Makhala is in the employ of the municipality and said he was shocked to learn that he “can’t even write, which made me wonder how he was hired as a senior clerk, and I was told he is one of the two people who was organised jobs by Waxa”. During Waxa’s attorney Daan Dercksen’s cross-examination of Wilson, Waxa wrote a note which his lawyer read out in court: “I deny appointing two people, I cannot do that as a councillor. Due processes need to be followed culminating to the municipality,” the note stated.
The case was postponed to 20 November for judgement and the accused remain in custody.
Meanwhile, the fourth accused Mandla Tyololo has changed counsel after his lawyer Carl Jeppe withdrew from the case, and he will now be represented by advocate Ezra Morrison who will reapply for bail with new evidence. Tyololo’s next appearance will be on 15 November.
Read previous articles:
- Muti drama in Molosi murder case
- ‘R150 000 to murder Molosi’
- Molosi accused stays in jail for now
- Stumbling testimony of Molosi murder accused
- Update: Victor Molosi murder trial
- Molosi trial: Suspect remains in custody
- Bail application: Victor Molosi Murder
- Protest ahead of court proceedings
- Molosi Murder suspects to appear in Court A today
- Suspects charged with premeditated murder
- Councillor arrested for murder
- Councillor arrested for Molosi’s murder
- March proceeding ‘peacefully’ into Knysna
- Saying goodbye to a local legend
- Victor Molosi laid to rest
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