File
The trial of a Gqeberha man, charged with the murder of a security guard during a cash-in-transit heist in Motherwell, is underway in the city's High Court.
Monde Sonaze, 37, is charged with the murder of Clinton Wolmarans, 26, two counts of attempted murder, five counts of robbery, and the unlawful possession of a firearm.
He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.
A trial within a trial is being conducted to determine whether a pointing-out statement that Sonaze made to police will be admissible in court.
His attorney, Advocate Khaya Saziwa said his client was under undue influence when he made the statement.
He further alleged that police assaulted and tortured Sonaze, and threatened to arrest his partner if he did not cooperate.
Lieutenant Colonel Rio Kriel, who took the pointing-out statement, testified that everything was above board and that Sonaze made the statement freely and voluntarily.
According to Kriel, Sonaze never informed him about the allegations of assault.
He said he would have stopped the pointing-out and reported the matter to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).
According to the charge sheet, Wolmarans, John Ferreira, and Adrian Venter were employed by G4 Security Cash Solutions.
They were all responsible for delivering and collecting cash from the Capitec ATMs in Gqeberha.
On the day of the robbery, they went to load money into the ATM at the Boxer shopping complex on Ngonyama Street, in Motherwell.
The state alleges that Sonaze and his co-perpetrators armed themselves and waylaid the G4 Security vehicle.
Sonaze's cronies were all shot and killed during a different robbery.
Wolmarans and Ferreira went inside the ATM cubicle and loaded the money into the machine while Venter (the driver) remained in the armored vehicle.
Upon exiting the ATM cubicle, Wolemerans and Ferreira were accosted and ordered to lie down.
They complied, but several shots were fired.
Ferreira was shot in his hand. Wolmarans died at the scene as a result of a gunshot wound to the head.
The alleged robbers fled the scene on foot but hijacked four vehicles in their bid to escape.
The trial continues.
