Staff Reporter.
EFF leader Julius Malema and MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi are back in court.
They’re facing assault charges over an incident dating back to April 2018 during the funeral of struggle stalwart, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
CCTV footage of the incident was part of Tuesday’s testimony in the Randburg magistrate’s court.
A retired police officer who initially investigated the common assault case against EFF leader Julius Malema and MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi was grilled on Wednesday over claimed discrepancies in his evidence.
Col Charles Seanego, who was a Lt-Col at the SAPS for 42 years, was on Wednesday called to testify against Malema and Ndlozi.
The pair are standing trial at the Randburg magistrate’s court, each facing a charge of common assault stemming from an incident involving Col Johannes Venter at the 2018 funeral of struggle stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in Fourways.
Malema and Ndlozi have pleaded not guilty to the assault charge, saying it was part of a political agenda.
AfriForum had pushed for their prosecution.
Seanego, now retired, was the investigating officer in the case. Seanego retired in March 2019 before he could conclude the investigation.
He told the court that he was informed of a high-profile case registered at the Douglasdale police station.
He was investigating another case at the time.
He said he was told the case needed further investigation, and that witnesses and video footage were outstanding — so he went to the Fourways Memorial Park cemetery to request video footage.
When he received it, he sealed it. “I then took it to the high tech office,” he said.
He said all the other documents were allocated to other members.
The court heard during cross-examination that one of the statements he had deposed to did not have a date.
The video of the incident, and evidence, was in the spotlight during Wednesday’s proceedings.
The case is postponed to 1 July.
Livestream Video Below:
Video Courtesy of ENCA.