News24.com | Soweto tavern shooting: Accused ex-Hawks officer had stroke in prison, court hears

Residents of Nomzamo Park are seen protesting outside the Orlando Magistrate's Court.

• One of the six men accused of killing 16 patrons at a Soweto tavern is ill.
• The Orlando Magistrate's Court heard that the former Hawks investigator suffered a mild stroke in prison.
• He said he was only given Panado and not the necessary medication for his condition.

A former Hawks senior officer linked to the fatal Soweto tavern shooting that claimed 16 lives suffered a mild stroke in prison, where he is currently being held.

The man, who can't be named following an order by the Orlando Magistrate's Court, appeared in the dock briefly on Wednesday, together with five alleged accomplices.

The court was expected to deliver judgment on his bail application.

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Prosecutor Inge Vogelpath told Magistrate Mohamad Jooma that the man had complained of being ill and not receiving the correct medication in prison.

"The State intends to bring an application to open its case. However, this can't be done because JP Venter, who represents one of the accused, is not in court. His client is sick and needs medical attention.

"I believe he is not receiving appropriate medication in prison. He claims he has an abscess in his tooth. He is ill. He suffered a mild stroke while in prison. He said he only receives Panado and not the necessary medication," Vogelpath said.

The State then requested that the matter be rolled over to Thursday.

Jooma said the magistrate who had heard the ex-officer's bail application would be present on Thursday to deliver judgment.

The former officer is the only accused who is applying for bail, after the others provisionally abandoned their bids.

During his bail hearing in December last year, the officer claimed that the 16 victims were at the wrong place, at the wrong time.

READ | Nomzamo tavern massacre: 'I don't know how my life was spared' - eyewitness

He said the murders were caused by clashes between two Basotho groups – Terene ea Khosi Chakela and Terene ea Khosi Mokata.

A week before the fatal tavern shooting, a Chakela group member was allegedly killed by Mokata members in Kliptown, Soweto.

The man added that on the night of the shooting, accused one and two were contacted by Mokata members, who said Chakela members were at the tavern to kill them to avenge the Kliptown murder of their member.

"...when they got to the tavern, they (accused one and two) didn't go inside to see if our members were there. They just started shooting while standing outside. Fortunately, our members had already left the tavern when they arrived. They killed some of their members.

"A few days later, I handed accused one over at the Norwood Police Station. We then went to Kimberley to fetch his father-in-law to be arrested. The police suddenly arrested me for defeating the ends of justice," the officer testified.

The man also claims that the police tortured him and that he was later charged with murder.

The hearing continues on Thursday.