Police forced me to admit to taking part in cash heists, suspect says

It’s now emerged that former ANC employee Velile Present’s cousin, Zakhele Zondi, is one of the men arrested in connection with cash heists.

JOHANNESBURG - Former African National Congress (ANC) employee Velile Present’s bail application is underway in the Roodepoort Magistrates Court.

Present and his three alleged accomplices are facing charges of aggravated robbery, possession of stolen vehicles and attempted murder linked to cash-in-transit heists.

They were arrested in July.

It’s now emerged that Present’s cousin Zakhele Zondi is one of the men in the dock on Friday.

During cross-examination, Zondi has told the court that he was assaulted and tortured on the day of his arrest for almost 11 hours and was forced by the police to admit to taking part in cash heists.

He says he was left with no choice but to concede after his face was covered by a plastic bag while another officer hit him with a firearm in the chest.

He also says the State’s assertion that he was found in possession of a stolen vehicle is false, and that he was first arrested then taken to Dobsonville where the vehicles were located.

Present’s attorney Ben Modumaela has concluded his cross-examination of Zondi and the court has now adjourned.

(Edited by Zamangwane Shange)