The state's key witness, Xolisile Botha Mbebeto, who is being cross-examined by the defence advocates, testified that he has never discussed any plot to assassinate Siemens with accused number 3, Kagiso Chabane, who is a court orderly. 

He was responding to questions from Chabane's legal representative, Advocate Joseph Kgoelenya, who furnished the court with documents, including a copy of his temporary ID and a bank statement, in an attempt to prove his client's chain of events. Mbebeto has also distanced himself from Chabane and said he doesn't know him and he is not friends with him.

Mbebeto is, however, disputing the statement that Chabane, Stanley Bakili and he all drove together in a white Polo Vivo to Home Affairs on 9 May 2018, with the vehicle allegedly hired by the police officials from Avis Motors. Mbebeto says he only drove with them on 7 May 2018.

During Chabane's bail application at the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court in January 2019, it was said Mbebeto and Bakili drove along to Home Affairs to collect Chabane's temporary ID but the self-confessed shooter dispute this and says he only drove with them two days earlier.

During his testimony in court, the self-confessed shooter said on 7 May 2018 they drove to Kenworth Spar whereafter they went to collect Chabane's identity document (ID) at Home Affairs after Bakili and Chabane went to withdraw money at the ATM.

He said following the trip to Kenworth Spar and Home Affairs, the three again drove to a certain house where Chabane went inside. Chabane later returned and he was finally dropped at the Magistrate's Court.

Chabane, during his bail application in 2019, said on 4 May Bakili transferred R15 000 in cash to his account to hire a car on behalf of Bakili. He has, however, denied plotting the murder of Siemens with Bakili.

OFM News