Alleged mommy killer, Shakoor Roberts, asked to be excused from the Mitchells Plain Magistrates’ Court on Friday as officials prepared to play a recording of his alleged confession.
But the cellphone recording could not be played as the court’s speakers were out of order.
The State is set to prove that Roberts throttled his mother, Gafsa, 61, at their home in Winterhoek Street, Tafelsig, in February 2015.
Her body was discovered three days later, hidden in their wheelie bin.
VICTIM: Gafsa Roberts, Shakoor’s mom
The State is set to prove that on 8 August 2017, Roberts asked his cousin, Jamia Daniels, to record his confession on her cellphone in the presence of two other people at his home.
The recording was handed over to the investigating
officer who testified that he copied it onto a compact disc, to ensure that it could not be tampered with.
Robert’s lawyer, Miss L. Boer, has put it to the court that the recording could have been tampered with, as it has been in the possession of the State since 2017.
On Friday, Detective Constable Jesse Philips continued his testimony, telling the Magistrate he and the family did not conspire to get Roberts to confess.
TAPED CONFESSION: Shakoor Roberts
He said Roberts did not pitch for court and Jamia and two others went to his house to find out why, and had informed Philips of their visit.
“They called me after leaving there to say they want to see me urgently,” said Philips.
Jacuw berated the investigator for instructing Roberts’ family to find Gafsa’s cellphone, saying: “It would be that you officers wanted the accused to falsely implicate himself.”
The matter was postponed to March 17 for the court’s speakers to be repaired.