The man who allegedly caused R23m in damages to a sugar cane farm has admitted, through his attorney, he was present when the fire broke out, but said he was there to have lunch.
This emerged during the cross-examination of one of the state witnesses during the trial of Sayfudeen Aslam Del Vecchio, 41, formerly linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil).
Del Vecchio is charged with malicious damage to property related to R23m in damages caused to sugar cane fields belonging to Tongaat Hulett in September 2017 in a fire.
Del Vecchio, with his wife Bibi Fatima Patel, 30, and Malawian Mussa Ahmed Jackson, 35, are also charged with the kidnapping, robbery, theft and murder of Rodney Charles Saunders, 74, and his wife Dr Rachel May Saunders, 63, in February 2018 in the Eshowe area.
The couple, who were living in Cape Town, had dual UK and South African citizenship.
The trial resumed for the second week at the Durban high court on Monday before judge Esther Steyn.
The court is proceeding with the 2017 matter before hearing evidence on the Saunders double murders.
The state witness, a security officer, said he saw a white bakkie being driven by a white man who had a child in the passenger seat.
“I saw a vehicle being driven by a white man and that person is present here in court. There was a fire in the direction he was coming from and I decided to make a U-turn and follow him. I noticed the person driving was throwing something into the sugar cane which was starting a fire.
"It was a white thing that looked like a folded paper and he would throw that thing to the sugar cane and there would be fire,” said the state witness who cannot be named as per the conditions of the court to protect his identity.
He said the person driving was white, had long hair and a long beard.
Bulelani Mazomba, representing Del Vecchio and Patel, said his client instructed him that at about 11am, he saw the fire burning at the farm.
Mazomba said his client admitted to being present at the farm, but he was there because he wanted to have lunch at a treehouse and view the area from there.
Mazomba said Del Vecchio instructed him he was not prohibited by anyone to enter the farm.
“He further instructed me that when he was at the farm, he met the security personnel driving on the road. He greeted the security and continued on his way. He instructed me that at that point, the fire was already burning and there was a huge smoke. That is why he decided to make a U-turn,” said Mazomba.
Mazomba said Del Vecchio saw there were many people trying to extinguish the fire.
He said his client disputed he had thrown anything out the vehicle which started the fire.
However, the state witness dismissed Del Vecchio’s version and said in his nearly a decade working at the farm, he was not aware of any treehouse.
He dismissed Del Vecchio’s version regarding time and said the incident occurred at about 2pm.
The witness maintained Del Vecchio was the one who drove the vehicle and started the fire and pointed him out to the judge.
The state also called another witness, a security company employee who confirmed he saw a man fitting Del Vecchio’s description driving on the farm.
He said the vehicle was suspicious as it was not authorised to be at the farm and they took down the details of the vehicle, including the number plate.
The trial resumes.
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Del Vecchio identified as 'arsonist who set cane farm fire' causing R23m damages
Image: JACKIE CLAUSEN
The man who allegedly caused R23m in damages to a sugar cane farm has admitted, through his attorney, he was present when the fire broke out, but said he was there to have lunch.
This emerged during the cross-examination of one of the state witnesses during the trial of Sayfudeen Aslam Del Vecchio, 41, formerly linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil).
Del Vecchio is charged with malicious damage to property related to R23m in damages caused to sugar cane fields belonging to Tongaat Hulett in September 2017 in a fire.
Del Vecchio, with his wife Bibi Fatima Patel, 30, and Malawian Mussa Ahmed Jackson, 35, are also charged with the kidnapping, robbery, theft and murder of Rodney Charles Saunders, 74, and his wife Dr Rachel May Saunders, 63, in February 2018 in the Eshowe area.
The couple, who were living in Cape Town, had dual UK and South African citizenship.
The trial resumed for the second week at the Durban high court on Monday before judge Esther Steyn.
The court is proceeding with the 2017 matter before hearing evidence on the Saunders double murders.
The state witness, a security officer, said he saw a white bakkie being driven by a white man who had a child in the passenger seat.
“I saw a vehicle being driven by a white man and that person is present here in court. There was a fire in the direction he was coming from and I decided to make a U-turn and follow him. I noticed the person driving was throwing something into the sugar cane which was starting a fire.
"It was a white thing that looked like a folded paper and he would throw that thing to the sugar cane and there would be fire,” said the state witness who cannot be named as per the conditions of the court to protect his identity.
He said the person driving was white, had long hair and a long beard.
Bulelani Mazomba, representing Del Vecchio and Patel, said his client instructed him that at about 11am, he saw the fire burning at the farm.
Mazomba said his client admitted to being present at the farm, but he was there because he wanted to have lunch at a treehouse and view the area from there.
Mazomba said Del Vecchio instructed him he was not prohibited by anyone to enter the farm.
“He further instructed me that when he was at the farm, he met the security personnel driving on the road. He greeted the security and continued on his way. He instructed me that at that point, the fire was already burning and there was a huge smoke. That is why he decided to make a U-turn,” said Mazomba.
Mazomba said Del Vecchio saw there were many people trying to extinguish the fire.
He said his client disputed he had thrown anything out the vehicle which started the fire.
However, the state witness dismissed Del Vecchio’s version and said in his nearly a decade working at the farm, he was not aware of any treehouse.
He dismissed Del Vecchio’s version regarding time and said the incident occurred at about 2pm.
The witness maintained Del Vecchio was the one who drove the vehicle and started the fire and pointed him out to the judge.
The state also called another witness, a security company employee who confirmed he saw a man fitting Del Vecchio’s description driving on the farm.
He said the vehicle was suspicious as it was not authorised to be at the farm and they took down the details of the vehicle, including the number plate.
The trial resumes.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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