Hospital records took centre stage at the ongoing trial of 12 Terrible Josters gangsters at the Western Cape High Court trial on Thursday, as the testimony of a former skollie turned State witness was put to the test.
On the sixth day of cross-examination by the defence attorneys, the State’s star witness who has implicated 12 skollies from Delft and Belhar in a range of crimes including the murders of rival gang members, seemed to get agitated when he was asked to remember details of crimes dating back more than six years.
In his initial testimony on the death of Jermaine “Piggels” Mckenzie, the witness claimed the man was a member of the Junior Mafias gang and had to be killed after he levelled a threat at the 204 witness who was previously a member of the Terrible Josters gang.
'ORDERED': Elton Ely put hit out on Piggels
He said at the time the alleged Belhar boss for the Terrible Josters, Elton Ely, instructed him to pick up Keenan “Kapadien” Kruger and another skollie named “ Dagga Baas” to shoot Piggels.
He says after the shooting he was instructed to go to Tygerberg Hospital where Piggels was receiving medical care and “pull the plug” to finish him off.
Defence lawyers referred to the witness statement to cops stating that on the night he visited the hospital he knew Piggels was dead as his family were seen around his bed crying.
On Thursday, he changed his version, claiming he had assumed Piggels had died.
ACCUSED: Keenan Kruger
When the discrepancy was highlighted, he asked the lawyer: “Is it a sin to forget something and then later remember?”
The lawyer provided hospital records that show Piggels died several months after being shot and not a week. The case continues.