Second witness describes how he was assaulted by VIP protection unit

A second state witness in the assault case against eight former VIP protection unit members, has described how he was dragged out of a vehicle and assaulted.

The witness, who cannot be named as per the court’s order, is one of the three soldiers who were allegedly assaulted by the eight officers on the N1 highway in Johannesburg in July last year.

On the fourth day of the trial of former bodyguards of Deputy President Paul Mashatile, the state called its second witness, a soldier who was in the same vehicle as two fellow soldiers.

He testified that they were assaulted on that fateful day.

The witness, who was sitting in the back in the vehicle on the day of the incident, told the court that he managed to point out the person who assaulted him during an identity parade.

He testified about how he was forcefully dragged out of the car by one of the bodyguards.

Video: VIP Protection Case – Witness described how he was dragged and assaulted

Defence advocate Mswazi Makhubele told the court that his clients did not intend to shoot at the victims during the altercation that took place in July last year.

The second state witness says he still has nightmares about the incident.

He will continue with his testimony when the trial resumes later this month as the case has been postponed to the 20th of August at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court in Johannesburg.