Thoriso Themane: Court hears from witness who recorded attack on video, took pictures

• A 15-year old former-accused-turned-State-witness, who earlier told the court he actively participated in the attack, was being cross-examined on Thursday.
• The teenager relived the incident during which he captured Themane's attack on video and pictures.
• The trial started on Monday and, so far, four witnesses have testified.

The Polokwane High Court in Limpopo on Thursday continued to hear chilling evidence of how aspiring musician Thoriso Themane met his death when he was brutally attacked by a group of minors in the city last year.

A 15-year old former-accused-turned-State-witness, who earlier told the court he actively participated in the attack, was subjected to cross-examination by defence lawyers, but he stuck to his testimony that implicated all the accused.

Six minors, whose identities cannot be revealed, and two adults, Alfred Mothapo and Chuene Maleka, are standing trial for murder.

The trial is being conducted in-camera.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi told the media that the witness – under cross examination – relived the incident which he captured on video, and he also took pictures.

"The proceedings today [Thursday] was around the video clips and the pictures that he took. He was cross-examined by the defence lawyers and the proceedings were adjourned until tomorrow [Friday]. The State may call another witness," Malabi-Dzhangi said.

She said the post-mortem report handed to the court by the prosecutor, advocate Mashudu Mudau, showed that Themane died of severe head injuries and internal bleeding. The DNA results also linked some of the accused to the crime.

The trial started on Monday and, so far, four witnesses have testified about the incident, during which Themane was brutally attacked and left for dead in a Polokwane suburb on 23 February 2019.

The witnesses include two adults, who did not take part in the attack, but were driving along a road in the suburb when Themane, running away from the mob, tried to get into their car.

Another minor witness testified that he first engaged in a fist fight with Thoriso before other members of the group joined in.

Themane fled to a house, but he was followed and the attack continued.

The house, where Themane ran to, belonged to one of the adult accused.

The trial continues on Friday.