The reopened inquest into the death of ANC president-general Chief Albert Luthuli heard on Thursday that the alleged scenarios surrounding his death were made up to cover up his killing.
Locomotive expert Lesley Charles Labuschagne, who continued with his evidence, said evidence presented in the initial inquest into Luthuli's death in 1967 was a fabrication.
“It is unusual for drivers to be called to identify bodies at mortuaries. However, Stephanus Lategan, who was driving a train that allegedly hit Luthuli, claimed that he was called to identify his body. Why would a train driver be called to identify the body?” asked Labuschagne.
He said it was completely unusual that a detective could visit a scene three days after the incident, adding by that time the scene could have changed.
“I am saying this because measurements cannot be 100% accurate, more especially in this case, the train was no longer there,” he said.
Labuschagne said that if an accident occurs, relevant authorities are summoned to the scene immediately and pictures and measurements are taken . He said another piece of evidence that was contradictory was that Lategan said they were told by a station master that the person who was injured on the railway line was Luthuli, and in his other evidence he said he had heard on the radio news that the train victim was Luthuli.
“There are so many things that are not adding up, which suggests that the evidence presented earlier may have been made up,” said Labuschagne.
He said it was also unbelievable that Luthuli did not hear the train's warning whistle.
“A steam train warning whistle is extremely loud, it is designed to make sure that people can hear it when the train comes,” he said.
He disputed evidence presented in the initial inquest that Luthuli may not have heard the warning whistle because there was heavy wind on that day.
Labuschagne said in Mossel Bay in Cape Town, it was windy but people still heard the train warning whistle. He said the train warning whistle was louder than a vuvuzela and a whistle used in a soccer match.
The inquest continues.
TimesLIVE
1967 evidence into death of Chief Luthuli was a fabrication: locomotive expert
Image: Mlungisi Mhlophe-Gumede
The reopened inquest into the death of ANC president-general Chief Albert Luthuli heard on Thursday that the alleged scenarios surrounding his death were made up to cover up his killing.
Locomotive expert Lesley Charles Labuschagne, who continued with his evidence, said evidence presented in the initial inquest into Luthuli's death in 1967 was a fabrication.
“It is unusual for drivers to be called to identify bodies at mortuaries. However, Stephanus Lategan, who was driving a train that allegedly hit Luthuli, claimed that he was called to identify his body. Why would a train driver be called to identify the body?” asked Labuschagne.
He said it was completely unusual that a detective could visit a scene three days after the incident, adding by that time the scene could have changed.
“I am saying this because measurements cannot be 100% accurate, more especially in this case, the train was no longer there,” he said.
Labuschagne said that if an accident occurs, relevant authorities are summoned to the scene immediately and pictures and measurements are taken . He said another piece of evidence that was contradictory was that Lategan said they were told by a station master that the person who was injured on the railway line was Luthuli, and in his other evidence he said he had heard on the radio news that the train victim was Luthuli.
“There are so many things that are not adding up, which suggests that the evidence presented earlier may have been made up,” said Labuschagne.
He said it was also unbelievable that Luthuli did not hear the train's warning whistle.
“A steam train warning whistle is extremely loud, it is designed to make sure that people can hear it when the train comes,” he said.
He disputed evidence presented in the initial inquest that Luthuli may not have heard the warning whistle because there was heavy wind on that day.
Labuschagne said in Mossel Bay in Cape Town, it was windy but people still heard the train warning whistle. He said the train warning whistle was louder than a vuvuzela and a whistle used in a soccer match.
The inquest continues.
TimesLIVE
READ MORE
Chief Albert Luthuli may have been victim of assault, reopened inquest hears
If hit by a train, Luthuli would have been killed instantly: expert
Witness disputes evidence from original Chief Luthuli inquest
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