One of the men accused of robbing a bus depot in Ngcobo two years ago has claimed he was forced by police to place two of the Mancoba brothers at the scene of the crime.
On Monday, accused Nyameko Genu told the court he had not seen Banele Mancoba and his younger sibling Ephraim at the scene.
Instead, he claimed, the police had instructed him to implicate the two.
Banele and Ephraim, two members of the “Seven Angels” who ran the notorious Angels Ministry Church – alongside Siphenathi Mafikwana, Luxolo Sixolo, Thulani Mrhwetyana, Genu, Lwandiso Phoswa, Zuko Makhephula, Loyiso Buhlungu, Mawande Jijingubo and Zukile Nkanunu – are accused of robbing a bus depot in 2017.
They appeared in the Ngcobo regional court on Monday for a trail-within-a-trial.
Senior state prosecutor Nomapha Mvandaba called several witnesses to give evidence, among them Captain Phakamile Budaza, a member of the task team who arrested the accused.
Budaza told the regional court that five of the accused had admitted to being at the scene of the robbery in December 2017 during questioning after their arrest.
He claimed that the getaway car was driven by one of the Mancoba brothers.
However, Genu claimed he had been forced to name the Mancoba siblings as having been present during the robbery “even though I did not see them”.
While cross-examining Buduza, Banele argued that his five co-accused had not admitted out of their own volition to having been part of the group that robbed the depot.
“I don’t think they were willing to give statements.
“The police were angry while questioning the suspects because of the death of police members.”
But Buduza dismissed this, saying he had been friendly during their questioning.
The Daily Dispatch reported in 2018 how five police members at the Ngcobo police station had been gunned down during a brazen attack that made international headlines.
Six suspects, including another Mancoba brother, were arrested for their murder.
Three other Mancoba siblings were killed during a gun battle with the police during a raid at the church.
The trial-within-a-trial continues on Tuesday...