Update: ‘He threatened my wife and children’
Willem Oosthuyzen told the court that his highest level of education was Grade 10 and that he was working for his employer for more than three years when the coffin incident occurred.
He testified that he heard about people being scared with a coffin after he helped Theo Jackson’s employer and first state witness Hannes de Beer, to apprehend people stealing maize two months before the coffin incident.
De Beer drove off with the people they caught and Oosthuyzen carried on with his work.
De Beer later told him that he scared them with a coffin, Oosthuyzen testified.
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Oosthuyzen said that he remembered the date of the coffin incident because his employers were out of the country. He also recalled that diesel theft occurred on the farm a day after the coffin incident.
He denied knowing Delton Sithole. And said that he saw him at court for the first time.
Oosthuyzen testified that Mlotshwa started running the moment he noticed him in the maize field. He crossed a railway line and Oosthuyzen called in the help of Jackson, who worked for the farm owner Mlotshwa ran onto.
He testified that they wanted to take Mlotshwa to the police but that he threatened to burn their crops and kill their wives and children who were alone at home during the day.
“I became very worried because it is true that I work all day and that my wife and children are at home alone,” said Oosthuyzen.
He then asked Jackson if they still have the coffin which De Beer told him about.
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Day two coffin case trial continues
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Day two of coffin case trial about to start in Middelburg
Second day of Coffin Case trial set to start
“We wanted to scare him off stealing and keep him from acting on his threats,” said Oosthuyzen.
Oosthuyzen testified that on the video Mlotshwa says that the cable belongs to him but that he did not believe him because the cable was already stripped and could not be used again.
He also mentioned a telephone conversation on Mlotshwa’s phone. Whilst they were waiting for Jackson to arrive with the coffin, Mlotshwa’s phone rang and he had a conversation in Afrikaans.
Oosthuyzen testified that he grabbed the phone and the person on the other side said that he owned a scrap yard. He said that Mlotshwa was supposed to bring him a package.
Adv Robert Molokoane will now start with cross examination for the state.
