More details of how 16-year-old Eldorado Park teenager Nathaniel Julies died, have emerged at the High Court sitting in Palm Ridge, Ekurhuleni. Julies was shot and killed, allegedly by police in August last year.
The state’s second witness, SAPS officer Mandla Sithole, was at the scene with four of his colleagues, two of whom stand accused of murder.
State witness Sithole was a student constable at the time. He wanted to buy food and asked two officers for a lift in a police van.
The van was driven by accused two, Simon Ndyalvane. He says, Ndyalvane told him that they should fetch the accused one, Caylene Whiteboy on their way.
He testified that, after picking her up, they drove past a shop when Whiteboy took out a shotgun and fired several shots at a group of boys. He said Ndyalvane also fired shots.
They then went to buy food at Southgate Mall and on their return, parked the police van next to a stationary truck they suspected was carrying stolen car parts. And that’s where Julies was allegedly shot.
“Accused one took out a shotgun, we were eating in the car so she was in front of me. The window of the driver, accused 2 was facing the direction of the truck. From his position, he could see the truck. And then I just heard a loud bang.”
Sithole told the court the two officers then rushed toward Julies.
“After the bang accused two jumped out of the vehicle and ran towards the boy who was lying down. He got there and picked the boy up and the constable went to the back and opened the van at the back, then accused two put the boy inside the state vehicle.”
State witness Mandla Sithole takes the stand:
Three officers face charges ranging from murder, unlawful possession of ammunition to accessory to murder. They have pleaded not guilty to all six charges.
The trial will resume on Wednesday with more witnesses expected to take the stand.
