Former Special Task Force Member Appears in Court for Witness D Murder Case
2 sources · South Africa
Who reported this
- Mail & Guardian
- Business Day
What the colours mean
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- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
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Every source for this story reports from South Africa.
Matipandile Sotheni, a former member of the South African Police Service Special Task Force, appeared in the Brakpan Magistrate Court on 9 September. Sotheni faces 16 criminal counts, including premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder, in connection with the killing of Marius van der Merwe. Van der Merwe, known as Witness D, was a key state witness before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry who was killed in a drive by shooting outside his home in December.
During the proceedings, the state revealed that Sotheni was found with a cellphone while in custody. Prosecutor Trott Mphahlele alleged that Sotheni used the device to discuss aspects of the case with people outside the correctional facility. The state is currently analyzing the cellphone data alongside tracking information from Sotheni's vehicle to establish correlations regarding the day of the murder.
Defense counsel opposed the state's request for a further postponement, arguing that the state has had sufficient time to finalize the investigation. The defense also disputed the state's account of the cellphone's location, claiming it was found in a neighboring cell rather than Sotheni's. The magistrate rejected a proposed two week limit and postponed the matter until 22 November. Sotheni remains in custody after previously being denied bail due to flight risk and the threat of witness intimidation.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- The center-left source provided a detailed account of the legal arguments and the specific evidence regarding the illicit cellphone.
- Centre-right
- The center-right source provided a brief progress report focusing on the court appearance and the identity of the victim.
Sources
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