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

Berea Mail reports that 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, including murder, robbery with aggravated circumstances, conspiracy to commit robbery, perjury, defeating the ends of justice and illegal possession of a firearm. All four men have pleaded not guilty.

Brother recounts day of discovery

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 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 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.”

Upon entering, Swanlund said they noticed that Needham’s bedroom had been disturbed and that a few items were missing from the house, including the B&B’s CCTV recorder and her 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.

CCTV footage sheds light

Having recovered from the initial shock, Swanlund said that after being questioned by police, he remembered CCTV cameras at nearby student residences that might assist 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 men in the footage were the accused.

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

The trial is set to continue today, with a new witness expected to take the stand in courtroom W.

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