Tasliem “Boontjie” Ambrose has spilled the beans on the murder of UWC student Jesse Hess, saying his co-accused David van Boven threatened to hurt him in Pollsmoor Prison if he spoke to cops.
Boontjie, from Hanover Park, was close to tears at the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday as he took the stand for his much-anticipated testimony.
Jesse, 18, and her oupa, Chris Lategan, 85,were murdered in their Parow flat on 30 August 2019 after an apparent house robbery.
Their murders sparked an outcry when they were found strangled with belts around their necks and the state has alleged that Jesse was also raped.
Van Boven, an alleged member of the 28s gang, was arrested several months later after he was identified as the suspect who raped a 16-year-old girl in Hanover Park and held her hostage.
He went on the run and was found in Struisbaai.
Boontjie was arrested several days later and has since turned on Van Boven.
Boontjie appeared nervous as he told Judge Judith Cloete what led up to his confession, made to Lieutenant-Colonel Adrian Pretorius while he was at Pollsmoor.
He said he was arrested days after the rape in Hanover Park on a drug charge and remanded in custody at Pollsmoor.
On 19 November 2019, he was sent to Macassar Police Station to meet with Pretorius, where he tjanked.
“I started crying because I was scared. I told them I wanted to tell the truth because that day I just decided it was enough,” he testified.
Tearing up in the dock, Boontjie said he feared for his life because Van Boven was a 28s skollie and had “rank” in prison.
“Boeta [Van Boven] is a 28s tronk bende and he told me that in this place [Pollsmoor] anything can happen to me because he has rank,” he testified.
“I knew I was not in a safe place and I hoped Pretorius would take me to a safe place but I am still there. I told him I would tell the truth.”
His testimony was brought to an abrupt halt when Judge Cloete learnt that he had difficulty understanding English.
As no interpreters were available, the case was postponed to Wednesday.
Last week cops, read out Boontjie’s confession, in which he gave graphic details of the murders.
He said he witnessed Van Boven attacking Lategan and later locking Jesse in a room.
He said when Van Boven opened the room door, he saw Jesse naked and watched Van Boven wurg her and wrap her face with tape.