Police threatened me: 'Suspected serial killer'

Suspected serial killer Thozamile Taki told the Ramsgate High Court he was forced to point out where he had dumped the bodies of 13 women he allegedly killed.

"They [police] took me to the scenes and forced me to do the pointing out,” Taki, 39, said.

He told the court the police had tortured him and he had to be treated by a doctor.

“When they took me to the sugarcane plantation, they intimidated me and they told me that they were going to kill me and leave me in the sugar plantation if I did not do what they wanted me to do.

"They forced me to do the pointing out while they took pictures.”

A series of pictures showing Taki pointing out where the bodies were found was part of the state's evidence.

The state had more than 100 witnesses, of whom more than 90 had testified so far.

Taki is accused of killing 13 women and dumping their bodies in sugarcane plantations in Umzinto, KwaZulu-Natal, and tea plantations in Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape. He was arrested in September 2007. Taki also faced 13 counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances. His girlfriend Hlengiwe Nene was charged as an accessory to the 13 robberies.

Taki told the court he was innocent and knew nothing of the dumped bodies.

“They even forced me to point out spots which had nothing at all and they took pictures.”

The state alleges Taki gave the police directions to different places in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. A helicopter was used during the pointing out in the Eastern Cape because of the hilly terrain.

The court was expected to rule before the end of the week on Taki's application for the pointing out evidence not to be used during the trial.

Taki further disputed the list of victims, which the state alleges he drew up when he had opted to co-operate with investigators.

Judge King Ndlovu said he was concerned the trial was taking too long.

“Time is not in our side. We are behind the schedule,” Ndlovu said.

Taki's lawyer Thulani Shange asked for an early adjournment on Tuesday and wanted an early lunch on Wednesday, saying he needed more time to prepare.

“You should have prepared yourself for the full day. I am very concerned about this hour that we are losing,” Ndlovu said.

Scores of people, including members of the African National Congress Women's League and relatives of the victims attended court hearings last year. On Wednesday there were only three men. The others in the public gallery were journalists and police officers.