The wife of murdered eThekwini Metro Police officer Errol Ogle says she feels increasingly hopeless as she endures the testimonies of the accused in the Durban High Court.
The court is currently hearing a trial within a trial to determine the admissibility of certain evidence. Three men stand accused of Ogle's murder, and have been recounting their versions of events during the proceedings.
On Wednesday, co-accused Sabelo Mncube concluded his testimony, paving the way for Phakamani Mpanza to take the stand. Mpanza claimed that, during his arrest and interrogation, police officers threatened to hang him upside down from a tall building and drop him if he did not confess to Ogle’s murder.
He told the court he pleaded for his life, saying he feared dying and wanted to be there for his mother and children. Mpanza maintains he had no involvement in the killing.
Inside the courtroom, Ogle’s widow, Faith Ogle, appeared visibly emotional during Mpanza’s testimony. Speaking outside court, she said the accused were now trying to portray themselves as victims.
“I don’t believe they’ve considered, even for a moment, the impact of their actions or the pain they’ve left us with,” she said.
The trial is expected to resume on Thursday.