Victim of coffin accused tells court why he didn't report attack

Delton Sithole‚ a victim of the two men who assaulted a farm worker and placed him in a coffin‚ said he initially did not report the incident.

Sithole told the High Court sitting at the Middelburg Magistrate's Court on Tuesday that he had been assaulted by Theo Jackson and Willem Oosthuizen.

Oosthuizen and Jackson face charges of attempted murder‚ two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm‚ kidnapping‚ intimidation‚ unlawful possession of a firearm and defeating the ends of justice.

They have pleaded not guilty on all charges.

On Tuesday‚ Sithole told the court that the men assaulted him on August 17 2016.

He said they assaulted him because he was "trespassing".

He earlier told the court that the men had repeatedly called him a k*f*r.

He said he did not report the incident because the police station was far.

"I initially did not report the assault because the police station is far. I only came forward when I saw in the [newspaper] that the police were already involved in the case‚" said Mlotshwa.

During cross examination‚ however‚ Oosthuizen's lawyer Wayne Gibbs said he had never met Sithole.

"Accused 1 says he doesn't know you. He as never met you‚" Gibbs put to Sithole‚ who was adamant that Oosthuizen was one of the men who assaulted him.