A routine day of serving customers at Dhaka Café in Old Cape Road turned into a nightmare when three men entered the shop and pulled out firearms.
The high court in Gqeberha has previously heard how during the scuffle between Nitrous armed response officer Roderick Erasmus and one of the assailants, he was shot in the thigh, and as he knelt, he was again shot in the chest, just above his bulletproof vest.
The final shot was fatal.
On Tuesday, the defence team for one of five men accused of the murder, told the court it needed more time for “serious engagements” with the state before the trial could begin.
While the nature of the expected discussions is known to The Herald, details were not divulged in court during the group’s first appearance on Tuesday.
Unathi Adam, 34, Sandile Blaauw, 38, Mandilakhe Mjungulu, 22, Loxolo Peni, 24, and Lungisa Mnikina, 23, face eight charges among them, including the 2019 murder of Erasmus, 49.
The other charges include robbery with aggravating circumstances, the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act and the possession of stolen property.
On Tuesday, state prosecutor Velile Makasana told the court that “serious engagements between the state and the defence needed to be dealt with” before the trial could get under way.
It is alleged that on December 27 2019, at about 8pm, the owner of Dhaka Café in Greenbushes was busy serving customers when Adam, Mjungulu and Peni entered the shop.
Blaauw and Mnikina allegedly remained in the maroon Ford they had been travelling in.
According to the indictment before court, after entering the shop, the three accused pretended to buy various items when Adam went to the counter.
The owner of the shop became suspicious and pressed the panic button.
Adam and Mjungulu then allegedly pulled out firearms and threatened the owner and customers in the shop.
Mjungulu and two other men, still at large, allegedly jumped over the counter and took money and other items.
During the commotion, Erasmus arrived and talked to Adam at the entrance of the shop, and Adam pretended to leave the premises.
Adam allegedly then attacked Erasmus from behind and a scuffle ensued.
It is alleged another suspect, who is still at large, and Adam shot Erasmus.
He died from a bullet wound to the chest.
A customer was then robbed of her Nissan bakkie in which some of the assailants fled. The woman driver was not injured.
Video footage collected from the scene was used during the group’s formal bail application in January 2020.
It is expected that the video footage will be used as evidence during the trial, which is due to start on Wednesday.
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