Napoleon Nyalunga (37), who is linked to German tourist Jorg Schnaar’s murder, appeared in the Mbombela High Court on Wednesday, 16 October 2024.
“THEY said I should admit that I killed a German tourist.”
These were 37-year-old Napoleon Nyalunga’s words, the man linked to German tourist Jorg Schnaar’s murder.
He told the Mbombela High Court on Wednesday, 16 October.
He was testifying about the alleged confession statement he made and the pointing out he did on 12 October 2022 following his arrest.
Nyalunga told the court that on the day in question, he was called by the police to come to the Nelspruit Police Station. He said on his arrival, he was called into the boardroom full of police officers.
One police officer allegedly informed him they had been told the truth, and he must also tell them the truth. As he tried to find out what the police were talking about, they allegedly hit him with a chair on his ribs on the left side of his body.
“I found myself lying down and kicked by many of them. They were stopped by Colonel Mashilo. I was kicked all over the body, except the face. The assault resulted in me having pains in my ears and nose,” Nyalunga claimed.
He claimed he was taken to another office where police officers shifted the furniture and only left one chair where he was ordered to sit on. They placed a plastic bag on his head, covered his face, and sprayed him while both his hands were tied behind him.
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He said he was allegedly threatened to be “killed”, if he didn’t tell the truth.
Nyalunga claimed he was further made to sign documents he didn’t know contents of. He claimed he did a pointing-out because he was scared police would allegedly kill him.
He alleged that after the assault, a photographer took pictures of him. He was told they would travel with him to the crime scene.
“Along the way, I was told there shouldn’t be any resistance from my side and must do as Colonel Mashilo told me. I was assaulted to admit knowledge of the matter we’re dealing with now. I was told to admit that I killed a German tourist,” he claimed.
State Advocate, Fedile Tsotetsi, argued that Nyalunga was not forced to make a confession and pointing out. She said the accused’s photos don’t show his body experienced trauma on the day. Tsotetsi said Nyalunga voluntarily confessed to Schnaar’s murder.
“You never informed this court you were given a reason why you were assaulted. The way you have explained to this court, you are saying this now during cross-examination. When you started leading your evidence, you told this court that police said they had discovered the truth, and you must tell the truth. You did not say they told you to admit that you killed a German tourist,” she said.
Nyalunga said: “I was assaulted. I wouldn’t come and lie to this court. I was never swollen but assaulted.”
Schnaar (67) was in the country travelling with his wife and two others along the Numbi Road towards Numbi Gate to Mdluli Safari Lodge near the Kruger National Park when armed suspects attacked them.
It’s alleged the suspects blocked the minibus they were travelling in and attempted to open the doors.
Despite the tourists’ attempts to secure themselves by locking the vehicle’s doors, one attacker shot Schnaar through the window, fatally wounding him in the upper body.
He died at the scene.
Nyalunga, Marshall Mamba (39), and Bongumusa Matsane (26) pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The matter was postponed to Monday, 21 October for arguments.
This post was originally published on here
