Randburg court shooting victim ‘wanted justice’ - former employer
The woman killed in an apparent hit outside the Randburg Magistrate’s Court has been remembered as strong and resilient by one of her former employers.
The domestic worker and her partner were shot and killed outside the court on Wednesday, where it later emerged that both were due to testify in an assault case against four policemen.
READ: Witness safety in the spotlight after couple killed outside Randburg court
Gauteng police have launched a manhunt to find the assailant, but their probe began with the accused officers in the 2018 assault case.
They are being treated as persons of interest.
The State was granted an urgent application to secure further evidence from the four police officers, who have not been charged for the killings, which includes testing for gunpowder residue on their bodies.
The mother of three has been described as both physically and emotionally strong by a former employer who asked not to be named out of fear for his life.
“She was an unbelievably lovely lady, unbelievably strong, and she was an absolute pleasure to have in our house. We trusted her implicitly with our children,” the former employer said.
He said anyone who knew the victim could attest that she would not have participated in the burglary which saw her being arrested and allegedly tortured by the police officers.
“She went through absolute hell. She was falsely accused of being part of a robbery as an inside job…and even if we assumed that the police made an honest mistake, what transpired next was beyond atrocious.
“As the records will state, she was put in jail and then she was [allegedly] taken to an undisclosed location and tortured.
He also said although the victim had the option to cower and be pleased to have survived the alleged assault she was determined to get justice.
“She wanted justice. She’s got three young boys who now because, her husband was also a witness and was shot in cold blood outside of a courtroom, are left without parents.
“I believe she was fighting for justice so her boys could live in a better world.”
No arrests have been made in the crime which has revived concerns about the protection of witnesses, and cases of police brutality.
As authorities continue their investigations, which include conducting data analysis on the respondents’ phones and ballistics tests on their firearms, they have pleaded with members of the public who may have any useful leads to contact the police.
Meanwhile, the woman's former boss has made an impassioned call for the killers to be brought to book.
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