The mother of murdered Avhatakali Netshisaulu described his widow Mulalo Sivhidzo as having been unco-operative with police, the High Court in Johannesburg heard today

Handing down his ruling Judge Naren Pandya began reading out Netshisaulu's mother Dzudzanani Netshisaulu's statement to the police on incidents leading to Sivhidzo’s arrest.

According to the statement Sivhidzo was rude and unco-operative when police contacted her to inform her that they had arrested a suspect, and wished to interview her and her mother-in-law.

Pandya earlier rejected Sivhidzo’s and her two co-accused’s allegations that police tortured them into implicating themselves in her husband’s killing.

Sivhidzo, Ntabudzeni Matzhenene and Arnold Sello are on trial for the kidnapping, robbery and murder of Sivhidzo’s husband, the son of former City Press editor Mathatha Tsedu.

In December 2006 Netshisaulu was pulled off the road while driving, beaten with bricks, tied up and robbed before he was bundled into the boot of his VW City Golf, which was then set alight. His charred body was found in the car in an open area in Honeydew, north of Johannesburg.

Judgment continues.