Angy Peter trial co-accused also claims he was framed

“I wasn’t there. I was at home with my sister and the little one’s watching DVDs,” said Azola Dayimani.

Dayimani, 27, along with Angy Peter, her husband Isaac Mbadu and co-accused Christopher Dina, are on trial in the Western Cape High Court for the kidnapping, assault and murder of Du Preez in October 2012. He died in hospital from burn wounds after being necklaced. The four accused were arrested soon after Du Preez’s charred body was found by police.

Two eyewitnesses testified that they saw “the driver of the white taxi” assaulting Du Preez in the street in Bardale Village with a golf stick while questioning him about a stolen TV. The same taxi was later seen parked outside of Dayimani’s home.

It was also submitted as hearsay evidence that before Du Preez died, he named “Angy en haar man” as the people who were responsible for his attack.

It is the couple’s defense that they were at home sleeping at the time of the attack. They also claim that they were being framed by police because of Peter’s quarrels with police for her work with the Social Justice Coalition(SJC).

During his testimony, Dayimani, who had often worked as a driver for the SJC, denied having any involvement in the incident.

“I was sick with a tummy bug that weekend. I didn’t go work on that taxi. I called my boss and told her I was sick and she told me to give the taxi to the person that usually takes my place. I only saw the taxi when he brought it back the Sunday,” he said.

Dayimani has been living in Bardale Village with his wife and four children since 2007. When asked how State witnesses could have identified him as one of the perpetrators, Dayimani pointed out that their testimonies were conflicting. He added that one of the witnesses had been lying on the stand.

Dayimani then recalled his arrest: “I was still asleep when the police knocked on my door. They only told me they wanted to talk to me at the police station. When we got there, they put me in a cell and told me I was being charged for killing Rowan and they ask me about my taxi.”

During cross-examination, prosecutor Phistus Pelesa asked Dayimani why he didn’t tell police about his alibi when he was arrested.

Dayimani said: “They never asked me where I was and they never told me when Rowan was killed.”

When Judge Robert Henney asked who Diyamani gave the taxi to drive while he was sick that weekend, he said he didn’t want to reveal the person’s identity.

Later, Dayimani claimed that it was Pelesa who had pointed him out to one of the State witnesses.

“I saw her talking to you and the policeman with her in Bardale. I don’t know what you were saying to her because she couldn’t have known me,” he said.

Pelesa said the witness had insisted she point out what she saw at the scene and that’s why they were in the area.

It is also Dayimani’s case that the second witness lied on the stand because he had rejected her advances. The matter resumes today, 7 August.