A Grahamstown man who was tortured, beaten and burnt had endured extreme pain for a prolonged period, a forensic pathologist testified yesterday.
Dr Stuart Dwyer was testifying in the murder trial of four men accused of the vicious torture and murder of Grahamstown resident Thembelani Qwankanisa, 29, last year. Dwyer conducted the postmortem.
The state alleges Qwankanisa was tortured and murdered because he was suspected of stealing the laptop of a prominent former Rhodes student and activist Thembani Onceya.
Onceya, his two brothers Akhona, and Simamkele and another friend Mzwanele Maki, have pleaded not guilty to murdering Qwankanisa.
Maki has admitted in a plea statement that he participated in some parts of “the questioning and assault” of Qwankanisa in Simamkele’s room in his Joza, Grahamstown home, but said he had not foreseen that the assault would result in Qwankanisa’s death.
But Dwyer testified that in his opinion anyone with a normal level of perception would see that a man treated in this manner would die.
Dwyer yesterday testified that Qwankanisa had suffered extensive burns over most of his body, teeth had been “traumatically extracted” probably with pliers, he had bleeding of the brain, abrasions and bruises all over his body, a broken wrist and hand, his penis had been stapled and – finally – his neck had been broken. The broken neck, the bleeding on the brain and the extensive burn injuries were all individually capable of having caused his death, Dwyer said in reply to a question from senior state prosecutor Heinz Obermeyer.
Qwankanisa had been extensively burnt by having boiling water poured over his head, torso and lower body.
The fact that the burns had time to turn a bright pink hue indicated blood was still flowing and he had been alive when the boiling water was poured on him.
He also had melted plastic dripped onto his body causing burn wounds to his thighs, back and penis.
Dwyer said given the extensive bruising and the time it took for bruises to form, Qwankanisa had been tortured for a prolonged period and had endured extreme pain.
Two women sitting in the public gallery got up and left during the gruesome evidence. One woman, who remained behind rocked backwards and forwards with her head in her hands, keening softly. All four accused sat with their chins cupped in their hands listening impassively to Dwyer’s evidence.
Earlier this year, a fifth accused, Siviwe Gqotholo, 30, pleaded guilty to his part in Qwankanisa’s assault and murder and was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment.
Qwankanisa’s body was wrapped in a carpet and disposed off in a local dam in Joza, where it was later recovered by police.
The trial continues today.
Man was brutally tortured while still alive, pathologist testifies
Dr Stuart Dwyer was testifying in the murder trial of four men accused of the vicious torture and murder of Grahamstown resident Thembelani Qwankanisa, 29, last year. Dwyer conducted the postmortem.
The state alleges Qwankanisa was tortured and murdered because he was suspected of stealing the laptop of a prominent former Rhodes student and activist Thembani Onceya.
Onceya, his two brothers Akhona, and Simamkele and another friend Mzwanele Maki, have pleaded not guilty to murdering Qwankanisa.
Maki has admitted in a plea statement that he participated in some parts of “the questioning and assault” of Qwankanisa in Simamkele’s room in his Joza, Grahamstown home, but said he had not foreseen that the assault would result in Qwankanisa’s death.
But Dwyer testified that in his opinion anyone with a normal level of perception would see that a man treated in this manner would die.
Dwyer yesterday testified that Qwankanisa had suffered extensive burns over most of his body, teeth had been “traumatically extracted” probably with pliers, he had bleeding of the brain, abrasions and bruises all over his body, a broken wrist and hand, his penis had been stapled and – finally – his neck had been broken. The broken neck, the bleeding on the brain and the extensive burn injuries were all individually capable of having caused his death, Dwyer said in reply to a question from senior state prosecutor Heinz Obermeyer.
Qwankanisa had been extensively burnt by having boiling water poured over his head, torso and lower body.
The fact that the burns had time to turn a bright pink hue indicated blood was still flowing and he had been alive when the boiling water was poured on him.
He also had melted plastic dripped onto his body causing burn wounds to his thighs, back and penis.
Dwyer said given the extensive bruising and the time it took for bruises to form, Qwankanisa had been tortured for a prolonged period and had endured extreme pain.
Two women sitting in the public gallery got up and left during the gruesome evidence. One woman, who remained behind rocked backwards and forwards with her head in her hands, keening softly. All four accused sat with their chins cupped in their hands listening impassively to Dwyer’s evidence.
Earlier this year, a fifth accused, Siviwe Gqotholo, 30, pleaded guilty to his part in Qwankanisa’s assault and murder and was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment.
Qwankanisa’s body was wrapped in a carpet and disposed off in a local dam in Joza, where it was later recovered by police.
The trial continues today.
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