| |
Jonkheid Accused Provide Further Evidence
In South Africa, one of the two brothers arrested in connection with the murder of consumer expert Dr Klaas Jonkheid, has told the Stellenbosch Magistrate's Court he was paid by a local pimp to burn Jonkheid's hire car, after hearing a shot fired.
Jonkheid was found dead last month after attending a conference of the Southern African Marketing Research Society (SAMRA).
According to local news site Cape Argus, Elton Smith, one of the accused, told the court that on the night in question, he had heard a gun being fired and then seen a local prostitute walking away from the path where Jonkheid's body was later found.
Investigating further, he claims to have seen what is now known to be Jonkheid's parked hire car with a local pimp sitting in the driver's seat. Smith says the man offered him R300 (£23), a cellphone and a silver ring in return for burning the vehicle.
Smith said he had agreed to the deal, and later returned with his brother Wayne to set the car alight with petrol they had pumped from the same vehicle. Jonkheid's burnt body was found lying face-down a couple of metres from the scorched car.
After the arrests, police found the hire car radio in Wayne Smith's room, and the spare wheel in the boot of their mother's car.
Magistrate Anita Potgieter delivers judgment next Thursday.
|
