This was the evidence presented in the North West High Court in Mahikeng during the trial of the two men on Thursday.

Warrant Officer Jeremiah Modisane testified that the men – farmworkers Pieter Doorewaard, 26, and Philip Schutte, 34 – seemed "bothered" when they approached him and asked him to call an ambulance.

It is alleged that Doorewaard and Schutte allegedly caught Matlhomola Moshoeu stealing a sunflower on April 20, 2017. They claimed that they drove him to the local police station, but that he jumped off their bakkie along the way and broke his neck.

However, an eyewitness alleges that he was pushed off.

On Tuesday, the men pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, intimidation, kidnapping, theft, the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and pointing a firearm.

'He was inhaling in a pool of blood'

In his evidence-in-chief, Modisane explained that the men said they had caught Moshoeu red-handed while they were patrolling.

"They did not have the sunflower with them. They also did not explain the boy's injuries to me," he testified.

He said the men refused to return to the scene where Moshoeu lay and claimed that they had to attend to their businesses.

Modisane, who has been a police officer for 31 years, added that he went to the scene and found that Moshoeu had hit his head. He said Moshoeu was still alive at the time.

"He was inhaling in a pool of blood (sic)," Modisane said.

Moshoeu later died in hospital. His death sparked protests in the area and some residents claimed he was killed because he was black. Several houses and businesses were burnt to the ground.

Doorewaard and Schutte are out on R5 000 bail each.

The trial is on the court roll until March 30.

News24