Richter suspect: I was tortured
4 February 2010, 09:30
The man accused of murdering Heia Safari Ranch owner Franz Richter has claimed a top cop tortured him and forced him to implicate his co-accused, Celiwe Mbokazi, Richter's widow.
Dumisani Sibusiso Xulu, 39, told the Johannesburg High Court yesterday that he lied to save his life.
Mbokazi was only linked to the murder on December 9 2008, when Xulu made a confession to Director Piet Byleveld alleging that a woman, "Thobila", hired him to kill Richter.
Xulu claimed Byleveld and his officers beat and tortured him when he denied the woman was involved.
He claimed that Byleveld shoved a loaded gun into his mouth and that he was suffocated several times. He then implicated the woman to save his life.
Dumisani Sibusiso Xulu, 39, told the Johannesburg High Court yesterday that he lied to save his life.
Mbokazi was only linked to the murder on December 9 2008, when Xulu made a confession to Director Piet Byleveld alleging that a woman, "Thobila", hired him to kill Richter.
Xulu claimed Byleveld and his officers beat and tortured him when he denied the woman was involved.
He claimed that Byleveld shoved a loaded gun into his mouth and that he was suffocated several times. He then implicated the woman to save his life.
- This article was originally published on page 2 of The Star on February 04, 2010
Cape Town
