Doctor disputes version of man accused of killing biker in road rage incident

20 April 2017 - 17:05 By Nomahlubi Jordaan
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The version of a Centurion lawyer accused of shooting dead a biker in a road rage incident three years ago‚ is inconsistent with the results of the post-mortem‚ the Johannesburg High Court heard on Thursday.

Meekahaefele Masooa‚ 43‚ is facing a charge of murdering Douglas Pearce‚ 39‚ on Malibongwe Drive during rush-hour traffic on February 14‚ 2014.

He claimed he acted in self-defence after he was threatened with a gun.

In his version‚ Masooa claims he shot Pearce at close range when a gun went off during a tussle between them.

  • 'Road rage' murder accused angered by media's 'racist view'A man accused of murder after an apparent incident of road rage has berated the media for “taking a white racist view”. 

Dr Simbarashe Chikwava‚ who conducted a post-mortem on Pearce‚ told the court on Thursday that the shot that killed him was fired at a distance.

"There was definitely a more than a metre distance between the deceased and the accused‚" Chikwava said.

The doctor also disputed Masooa's version that when he fired the first shot at Pearce‚ his [Pearce's] hand was stretched out as he was carrying a firearm.

  • Court asks shooting accused to demonstrate incidentThe trial of the man accused of killing a biker in a road rage incident continued on Tuesday‚ and the prosecutor asked the accused to demonstrate how events on the day had unfolded. 

"I was not at the scene‚ but having looked at the body‚ it's difficult to accept the accused’s [Masooa's] version..."

Chikwava said the bullet that killed Pearce was recovered from his back‚ contradicting Masooa's version that he shot Pearce from the front.

Chikwava also told the court that if Masooa's version of shooting Pearce at close range was true‚ he would have found on him burnt and unburned gun powder‚ burning on his skin caused by a flame emitted by the firearm and a burnt jacket.

  • Judge dismisses discharge application by road rage shooterThe defence lawyer of a man accused of shooting and killing a biker in a road rage incident has attacked the credibility of state witnesses and called for his client to be discharged. 

"I would have expected some blackening around the entrance wound. I did not see any of that‚ Chikwava said.

The trial continues.

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