A top Cape Town cop whose son was murdered is celebrating a small victory after the State witnesses who botched the murder trial will now be charged with perjury.

Major General Greg Goss has been on a mission for justice after his own colleagues’ “sloppy work” let slip the only suspects who were arrested.

Now the two State witnesses who contributed to the botching of the murder trial will be charged for allegedly lying on the stand.

The Directorate of Public Prosecutors last week ordered that the man and his girlfriend be charged after they allegedly lied during the trial of Greg Goss Junior in the Parow Regional Court last year.

The witnesses initially identified the two killers to cops, but changed their story in court, which resulted in the suspects being released due to a lack of evidence.

However, Greg’s father, Major General Greg Goss, says the people responsible for the acquittal will now have their own day in court.

Goss, the cluster commander of eight police stations including Mitchells Plain, is looking for justice after his son was shot and killed outside his home in Elsies River in July 2014.

Two others were wounded, including one who later became a State witness. The man told cops he identified the killers because he grew up with them.

But when he was asked to identify the suspects during an identity parade, he failed to recognise anyone.

The night before his girlfriend was due to take the stand, the accused allegedly visited her home and convinced her to back him up.

In December 2015, 18 months after their arrest, the suspects were released.

NPA spokesman Eric Ntabazalila confirmed the two State witnesses will be charged with perjury: “They lied and made conflicting statements under oath.

“The accused were acquitted because these two made conflicting statements.”

However, Ntabazalila says the perjury case will have no bearing on Greg’s murder trial.

“The murder case has been finalised and the accused in the case was acquitted after applying for a Section 174 [discharge].

“The application was successful. This will not have an impact on the murder case.”

Goss says although it won’t bring his son back, or put his killers behind bars, justice can still prevail: “The problem is that the NPA and the police proceeded with the case knowing they had conflicting statements [from the witnesses].

“He [the witness] must rot in jail for what he did. He made a confession that they lied and said they wanted to go after the killers themselves, but that never happened.”

In February, Goss lodged a complaint against the police, the NPA, the Minister of Justice and the President, saying authorities let his son’s killers walk free after a poor police investigation.

Four police officers, stationed at Elsies River police station, will be facing disciplinary action.

[Source: Daily Voice/IOL]