Lion murder defendant accused of attacking witness

Prosecutors in the murder trial of three men accused of throwing a man into a lion pen today asked the court to revoke bail for a white farmer who allegedly accosted a witness after his testimony.

A security guard said Mark Scott-Crossley, one of three men on trial for murder, grabbed him by the front of his shirt and said something he didn’t hear as he left the witness box.

Prosecutors asked the court in Phalaborwa to revoke Scott-Crossley’s bail for interfering or attempting to interfere with a witness.

Scott-Crossley, testifying in a hearing on the motion, said he had inadvertently bumped into the witness and had simply touched him an leaned over to say he was sorry.

A crowd control policeman in the court room said he saw the defendant walk directly toward the witness, grab his shirt and wag his finger at him.

The judge said he would rule on Thursday on the request to revoke Scott-Crossley’s bail.

Scott-Crossley and defendants Richard Mathebula, 41, and Simon Mathebula, 43, who are not related, are charged with killing Nelson Chisale a year ago.

Prosecutors that Chisale was attacked with machetes, tied up, beaten and later thrown into an enclosure of lions where he was mauled and eaten.