ET accused 'not sodomised'

A policeman yesterday refuted a sodomy claim by the farm worker accused of killing rightwing leader Eugene Terre Blanche.

"No, my Lord, from myself and my investigation it never surfaced, even during my interview with [the accused Chris Mahlangu]," investigating officer Lieutenant-Colonel Tsietsi Mano testified at the trial in Ventersdorp, North West.

Mahlangu's lawyer, Kgomotso Tlouane, had put it to Mano that his client alleged Terre Blanche had sodomised him.

Mahlangu and a teenager, who may not be named, are charged with beating Terre Blanche to death in his farmhouse outside Ventersdorp in April 2010.

Both have pleaded not guilty to murder, housebreaking and robbery with aggravating circumstances. Mahlangu says he acted in self-defence. The teenager has denied involvement in the crime.

Investigating officer Mano was questioned about fluid allegedly seen on Terre Blanche's genitals.

"I never saw the body," he said.

The body was removed before Mano arrived at the house on the night of the murder. He said he saw it only during the postmortem.

"I asked the pathologist [if she found semen] and she said no. I know for a fact I asked," Mano said.

In October, pathologist Ruweida Moorad testified that Terre Blanche's body might have been wiped before the postmortem.

"Perhaps when it [the body] was transported in a body bag it [the semen] was wiped off. I honestly don't know," she said at the time.

A substance believed to be semen was visible in photographs of the rightwinger's body taken at the crime scene.

Yesterday, Tlouane said his client had been sodomised and assaulted when he had tried to retrieve a suitcase from Terre Blanche's house. Mahlangu claimed he had been unable to escape and, in self-defence, had picked up an iron rod in the bedroom and hit Terre Blanche.

He claimed the rightwinger was standing up when he hit him and had fallen onto the bed, where his body was found, Tlouane said.

"[Mahlangu's] instructions were that he regretted that he went to look for the suitcase . if he hadn't gone there, one the sodomy [and] two the fight [would not have happened]," Tlouane said.

But Mano denied Mahlangu's version of events. He maintained his sworn statement was based on the information Mahlangu had given him after the murder.

"[Mahlangu told me] that he could see Terre Blanche lying on the bed. The deceased never saw or heard them as he was asleep."

Mano testified that the accused had planned to castrate Terre Blanche after the murder.

"Mahlangu said he pulled Terre Blanche's pants down and exposed his genitals. His intention was to dismember Terre Blanche. But he decided against it."

Testifying about a statement Mahlangu made on the night of the murder, Mano said the murder weapon had come from a storeroom at the farm. Mahlangu and the teenager had entered Terre Blanche's house through a window and had found him lying on his back on the bed.

"Mahlangu hit Mr Terre Blanche on the forehead with the iron rod. Two other blows followed, on the face. There was a lot of blood . He repeatedly hit Terre Blanche on the chest. His colleague took the rod from him. He hit Terre Blanche in the face . [and] on the chest," Mano said.

Norman Arendse, for the minor, also cross-examined Mano. He said if the semen on Terre Blanche was wiped off before the body was removed, it would mean someone had tampered with evidence.

"If it was deliberately removed then it was a serious offence, because that part of the evidence would be crucial," Arendse said.

The trial continues.