Family 'tried to bewitch me'

2005-10-10 18:43

Pretoria - William Nkuna says the family of his alleged victim, Frances Rasuge, tried to bewitch him.

Asked why he hadn't gone to the Rasuge family to console them or register his concern on finding out about Rasuge's disappearance, Nkuna alleged they'd tried to bewitch him.

"I found out the Rasuge family had gone to a witch doctor in order to bewitch me because they blamed me for her disappearance."

He also on Monday denied having laid a conspiracy to murder charge against Rasuge only after learning he was a suspect in her disappearance.

During his trial for her murder, Nkuna told the Mmabatho Circuit Court sitting in Ga-Rankuwa that Rasuge had been forced by a Captain Simon Letseka to hire a hitman to kill him.

He alleged Letseka had propositioned Rasuge and was jealous of his relationship with her.

Rasuge was last seen alive in Nkuna's company outside a hair salon in Themba on August 27, 2004.

Nkuna tried to open docket previously

According to a statement Nkuna made to police, he realised on August 30 he was a suspect in Rasuge's kidnapping and had enquired about laying a conspiracy charge on the same day, Prosecutor Johann Smit said.

"Why did you attempt to lay a charge (of conspiracy to murder) after you became aware of being a suspect in the (kidnapping) case," Smit asked him during cross examination.

Nkuna said August 30 wasn't the first time he'd attempted to open a docket against Rasuge and Letseka.

He said he had spoken to three police officials and one magistrate before he was able to lay the charge.

The trial would resume on Tuesday morning.

- SAPA