CCTV footage obtained by the brother of murdered Glenwood guesthouse owner Jacqueline Needham was the focus of today’s testimony at the Durban Regional Court where Oscar Swanlund began giving his testimony at around 10:30.

Needham’s murder trial began on October 9 and is set to conclude on November 7. Four men, Mzotelwa Manelisi Jali, 24, Mdumiseni Gumede, 21, Bernard Langa, 25, and Fana Bruce Nomfemfe, 51, stand accused of her murder.

They face six counts which includes murder, robbery with aggravated circumstances, conspiracy to commit robbery, perjury, defeating the ends of justice and illegal possession of a firearm, which all men have pleaded not guilty to.

In the witness box, led by state prosecutor Advocate Thabani Buthelezi, Swanlund told the court that he found out about his sister’s murder through a neighbour who had called him at 07:45 on August 11, 2022.

“He told me something had happened to Jackie and that I need to get there,” said Swanlund, who travelled from Ramsgate along with his wife Tersia. “When I got there, there was police tape cordoning the area off and we waited outside until they took my sister’s body out the house. We entered the property after the forensics team were done.”

Also Read: Tears in court as witness recalls discovery of Glenwood guesthouse owner’s body

Upon entering the property, Swanlund said they had noticed that Needham’s bedroom had been disturbed with a few items missing from the house including the B&B’s CCTV recorder and her vehicle, a white Kia Soul. “I was dazed and traumatised, I do not remember the exact details of what happened that day. My sister had been murdered,” said Swanlund when asked to recount what happened after he arrived at the scene.

Having returned to his senses following the traumatic incident and after being questioned by the police, Swanlund said he remembered seeing CCTV cameras, located at the student residences across the road, that could help shed light on the investigation.

“I asked to see the footage and their security head office allowed me,” said Swanlund. “It depicted a vehicle dropping off two African men near the property. One was dragging a pink or red suitcase. They approached the gate, waited around five minutes before entering and going off view. Some time later a guest’s vehicle leaves and comes back 45 minutes later. Some time after that, another man approaches the gates and he walks in and out of sight.”

Two clips were played in court, and during cross examination Swanlund could not confirm whether the man showed in the video were the accused or not.

In the second video, the deceased’s vehicle could be seen reversing out of the property. The vehicle would later be recovered in Mkhumbane.

The trial is set to continue tomorrow with a new witness entering the witness box of courtroom W.

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