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Horror details of slow death
25/09/2008 23:23 - (SA)
Magdel Fourie, Beeld
Johannesburg - City Press editor Mathatha Tsedu has heard in court about the excruciating pain his son must have endured before he died in the boot of his burning car.
The charred body of Avhatakali Netshisaulu, 31, was found on the West Rand in the boot of his burnt-out Volkswagen Golf on the night of December 7.
A short while before this, he had called his wife in a panic, saying that two cars were boxing him in on the road. After that, she couldn't reach him.
On Thursday, Dr Gina Rowe, who performed the post-mortem on Netshisaulu's remains four days after his death, testified in Johannesburg High Court that 30% of his body had been completely burnt away.
His face had been burnt beyond recognition.
Tests later indicated that there was 71% carbon monoxide in his blood - which meant Netshisaulu had been alive for between two and 15 minutes before his "painful" death in the burning boot.
Judging by the burn damage, his body must have been enveloped by flames for between 40 minutes and an hour, she said.
Rowe said Netshisaulu had died of carbon monoxide poisoning and burn wounds.
The court then heard in detail what Netshisaulu could have experienced in the last minutes before his death.
'Probably became nauseous'
Rowe said: "Due to the carbon monoxide coming from the burning car, he would first have developed a splitting headache; his breathing would have become more difficult, faster and shallower.
"Then he would have started to cough. He probably became nauseous and vomited."
In time, Netshisaulu's breathing would have become more irregular, until there would have been moments when he couldn't breathe at all, she said.
Then he would have become confused and disoriented, until he finally lost consciousness.
Used 'contract hitmen'
"Initially, the burn wounds would have been excruciatingly painful. But, after a while, as the nerves burnt away, he wouldn't have felt anything."
Mulalo Unity Sivhidzo, Netshisaulu's wife, is accused of contracting hitmen to kill her husband, a chartered accountant.
It is said that she got her husband's partner, Ntambudzeni Matsenene, to kill him, but that he, in turn, contracted Sello Johannes Arnold to commit the murder.
All three have pleaded not guilty. |
