The state has handed video footage of a group of teenagers assaulting 27-year-old Thorisho Themane to the Polokwane High Court in Limpopo.
Themane was attacked at a recreational park at Fauna Park and later died in hospital.
Five teenagers, between the ages of 15 and 21, and two adults have been arrested and are on trial for the murder. The trial is being held in-camera.
The 15–year-old witness number four started giving evidence on Wednesday. He was 13–years–old in 2019 when the incident took place.
Like witness number two and three, he too admitted that he took part in the beating.
The three accused have both turned state witnesses.
The accused were arrested after a civil society movement called #JUSTICEFORTHORISO took to the streets of Polokwane.
NPA spokesperson Mashudu Dzhanzhi Malabi says, “The fourth witness continues to testify on Thoriso Themane murder case in Polokwane High Court. The witness stated that he was taking a video from Fauna Park when the deceased was beaten by the teenagers. Even when Themane tried to enter into someone’s house he said they continued to assault him. The state handed in the video footage to the court as an exhibit. The trial will continue with witness number five.”
Thoriso Themane’s murder:
The video showing Themane being beaten by the group of teenagers went viral in 2019. The teenagers were running after him kicking him around and hitting him using other objects.
The two adults also joined in the beating apparently thinking Themane was a criminal.
The accused were released into the care of their parents as they are still young while the two adults were given bail.
