Two weeks after an elderly couple was robbed at gunpoint by a Winterveld man, he again targeted them. This time he was accompanied by a three-man gang, the High Court in Pretoria heard on Wednesday.
Christian Jooste and his wife Catherine, both in their 60s, were shot dead in broad daylight in a Soshanguve street on 17 November 2011 while delivering stock to one of the about 40 spaza shops they supplied to in the area.
Christian was shot in the abdomen while his wife was hit in the chest.
Victor Simango (31), Solomon Selekane (25) and Collen Molapo (28), all from Winterveld, and Nkomo Mathebula of Mabopane, are facing murder, aggravating robbery and illegal firearm possession charges following the killing of the Joostes.
Mathebula earlier this year escaped from custody, allegedly after bribing a policeman. He is still being sought as one of the ten most wanted men in the county.
The high court had decided to try him separately and to continue with the trial of his three co-accused.
The prosecution, headed by Celeste Smit, alleges that the gang attacked the Joostes only because their original target, a Pakistani-owned shop in the area, was closed for the day.
They all pleaded not guilty to all the charges, except for Simango, who pleaded guilty to one charge of robbing the Joostes on 11 November 2011 of R500 cash, shopping cards and a wallet.
During cross-examination on Wednesday, Selekane admitted to having been on the scene of the killing. However, he blamed Molapo and Mathebula for the shooting, claiming that he had no idea they were going to rob or attack the couple in their parked car outside a spaza shop.
He told Judge Lettie Malopo that he was shocked and still re-lived the event as it had been the first time someone had been shot in his presence.
“When we got home, I asked Molapo why he had shot those white people for no reason,” Selelane said, denying that he had anything to do with the two murders.
Molapo was also called to the witness stand on Wednesday. He denied knowing Selelane and said he only knew Simango from seeing him around. He also denied being on the scene of the killing or having any involvement in or knowledge of the alleged crimes.
The cross-examination of Molapo continues on Thursday.
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