Riyaz Patel
Reports have emerged of a private pathology report which states that former Bosasa boss Gavin Watson was already dead before his company car crashed into a concrete pillar near the OR Tambo International Airport on August 26.
Sunday World first reported on the findings which were confirmed by the Citizen Sunday, quoting an anonymous family member.
The family member claims that the fact that there was no significant blood in the chest cavity, no significant blood from the neck, and dry brush abrasions, seemed to confirm what the pathologist suspected, that Watson was dead or that his heart was not functioning before impact, according to the Citizen.
This seemingly rules out suicide, and the family has reportedly not ruled out foul play, saying while Watson may have died of a heart attack, the circumstances of the car crash remained suspicious.
The family member told the Citizen that the reports were preliminary and it would be best to wait for the final findings, which would include information such as toxicology data.
The accident happened at about 05:05 on the road leading up to the drop-off zone of the airport. It’s understood the vehicle collided with the pillar of a bridge after Watson allegedly lost control.
Police said a wallet containing R70 in cash, his ID card and driver’s licence, were all that Watson had with him when he died in the crash near OR Tambo International Airport.
The anonymous family source told the Citizen that it was believed that eyewitnesses may have been bribed to make statements contrary to what really happened.
Watson was supposed to testify at an inquiry into his tax affairs the day after his death.
His death led to much speculation that he had committed suicide or may have been murdered.
On August 27, a day after the fatal crash, a man identifying himself as Mphahlele described the scene that played out before him on the day of the accident.
“It is very sketchy, this thing happened in front of me. I was taking one client to the airport around 05:00 and there was this Corolla in front of me but I thought it was one of the Ubers or the shuttle companies. He was driving at a high speed. I thought maybe that person was running late to catch a flight, he told Power FM
“That Corolla was taking the far right [lane used for rental and underground parking at OR Tambo International Airport]. Then suddenly, in a split second, it goes straight to the pillar, then it turns around. Some bumpers were flying up, and to me it was someone who wanted to commit suicide. I don’t believe in some other [conspiracy] theories,” the man calling himself Mphahlele said.
Additional reporting by News24
