Cash heist kingpin and murder accused wants magistrate to testify in his defence

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Johannesburg - In a rare move, murder and rape accused Happy Thabo Mosia wants to call a magistrate to testify in his defence. Mosia, who is accused of the kidnapping, rape and murder of former SBV employee Linda Matati, has been claiming in the South Gauteng High Court that he was assaulted by police officers when he was first arrested. He informed the court that officers assaulted him after arresting him in 2017. All the officers who have so far testified in the case disputed Mosia’s claim of assault. Now he wants a magistrate from the Lenasia court, where he first appeared, to testify in his defence. During cross-examination on Wednesday, Mosia said: “I was beaten like a dog. I was beaten very badly by four to five people. The police come here and take oaths and lie about it.” He said the magistrate would be able to corroborate his stories as she saw his injuries and also accused State prosecutor Pakanyiswa Marasela of protecting the police.

The magistrate is expected to appear in court on Thursday.

Mosia previously testified that he did not know Matati until the day they met at a party in Lawley.

Mosia used to be one of the most wanted criminals in Gauteng but his history as a dangerous criminal didn’t help him evade questioning in the South Gauteng High Court on Tuesday.

Like a man who isn’t used to being questioned, in a heated back and forth with Marasela, Mosia ended up throwing several tantrums.

Marasela asked Mosia how his semen ended up in the vagina of Matati if he denies raping her.

“There’s no semen of mine. I never slept with Linda (Matati),” he said.

When Marasela pressed him on the issue, an agitated Mosia ranted: “I want to give the Matati family closure, that’s why I am here. I want to clear my name. I’ve been oppressed a lot. I have co-operated with everyone but I am still in chains with no bail. The treatment I get is unfair.”

Mosia is accused of kidnapping Matati from a party in Lawley in 2016. He then allegedly raped and murdered her before dumping her body.

Matati’s decomposed body was found over a year later in Bronkhorstspruit, Mpumalanga. Mosia has been in custody since 2017.

Marasela asked what his job was, Mosia said: “I steal cars and sell them over the border.”

Asked if he was proud of his criminality, he said: “I fend for my family. It hurts me sometimes but I have to survive,” Mosia said admitting he always carried an unlicensed firearm but denied he was a dangerous criminal.

Asked if he was a cash-in-transit kingpin, Mosia said: “I can’t say I’m a kingpin. Those are allegations against me.”

In 2011, Mosia was arrested in Eldorado Park in connection with four cash-in-transit heists between 2005 and 2006 and a string of other crimes.

Linda Matati’s body was found in an open veld in 2017.

On Tuesday Mosia told the court that he usually stole cars in the suburbs from white people.

“Most people we steal bakkies from suburbs and farms. We can’t steal in the townships because we sell the cars there,” he told the court.

Marasela asked if it ever crossed his mind that the white people he steals from work hard for their assets and don’t get them as “manna from heaven”.

He responded: “We aren’t targeting the white race. In the malls where we steal, there are other races. I am starving and I don’t have those thoughts in my mind.”

In another rant, an angry Mosia claimed his co-accused Julian Ntoyi was jealous of him and that’s why he turned State witness. Ntoyi told the court he was afraid of Mosia.

“He was never better than me, financial (sic) wise. I am successful at what I do, better than him. I loved that man. He was a brother to me but he was jealous of me. He was my best friend, I trusted him with my all,” Mosia said.

He also accused his former friend of trying to act like a saint while tarnishing his name. “Did he tell you where he got the gunshot wounds? When we talk about Ntoyi we talk about a liar,” Mosia said.

The trial continues.

The Star