Hitman paid to kill stepmom
2003-06-01 08:20
Durban - The Durban High Court this week heard that the gun used to murder Ladysmith Black Mambazo leader Joseph Shabalala's wife, Nellie, was handed over to Shabalala's son by the alleged hitman.
Shabalala's son, Nkosinathi, 42, and the alleged contract killer Mboneni Mdunge, 30, are standing trial for the murder of Nkosinathi's stepmother. Nellie was killed outside her Clermont house in Durban in May last year.
According to the statement read to the court by captain Mxolisi Mntungwa, Mdunge gave the gun to Nkosinathi after the shooting, who in turn paid him R8 000 for a job well done.
Nkosinathi and Mdunge are facing a murder charge, two counts of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Mdunge made a confession to Mntungwa about Nellie's death early this year.
Mdunge's statement, read before the court, states he does not want to be convicted alone and that he wanted to reveal the truth about Nellie's death.
"I shot her in the head, but I don't remember how many times," the statement reads.
Mdunge's defence council advocate Mbhekwa Mncwabe has dismissed the confession statement as false, arguing that his client was forced by the police to do it in order to implicate Nkosinathi.
Mncwabe also told the court Mdunge was forced to point out the scene where the murder was committed. Mncwabe's attempts to persuade the court to dismiss the statement failed when presiding judge Brian Gulgat accepted the statement as admissible.
This came after Mdunge and his witnesses failed to provide evidence that he was tortured, assaulted and forced by the police into a statement.
The statement further states that after Mdunge shot Nellie he was immediately removed from the scene by Themba Hadebe to a local taxi rank where Nkosinathi was waiting for him.
Mdunge was hiding at Hadebe's place waiting for the deceased's arrival. Hadebe has also become state witness.
Nkosinathi's father, who also gave testimony, stunned the court when he stated that the relationship between him and his son had not changed despite him (Nkosinathi) being implicated in the murder.