Lusikisiki massacre: Accused alleges police brutality during Port Shepstone arrest

The Mthatha High Court, sitting in Lusikisiki, has heard further evidence regarding the alleged beating of three of the six men linked to the Eastern Cape mass murder.

Bonga Hintsa, identified as accused four, is currently testifying in a trial-within-a-trial.

This follows a bombshell revelation by Hintsa and two of his co-accused, who claim they were victims of police brutality during the initial stages of the massacre investigation.

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Hintsa was apprehended in Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal, in October 2024. His arrest occurred approximately two weeks after the brutal mass murder of 18 relatives, who were shot and killed in Ngobazana village.

During his testimony, Hintsa alleged several discrepancies regarding the procedure of his arrest, stating that he was taken into custody by South Coast officers based in KwaZulu-Natal and maintained that he was abused throughout the process.

The accused claims he was assaulted for allegedly disobeying orders, such as an instruction to remain facing down.

Hintsa further testified that officers slapped him repeatedly during questioning, specifically to extract information regarding the whereabouts of the firearms used in the killings and the location of Accused Five, Songezo Vuma.

These allegations stand in stark contrast to the evidence provided by the arresting officer. In previous testimony, the officer maintained that none of the accused was assaulted at any point.

Hintsa’s testimony marks the final submission in this trial-within-a-trial, which will determine the admissibility of evidence based on the legality of the police conduct