Maqubela trial postponed
2013-03-12 20:09
Johannesburg - The murder trial of Thandi Maqubela,
accused of killing her husband, acting judge Patrick Maqubela, was postponed by
the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town on Tuesday.
The matter will be back in court on 19 March.
The State alleges Maqubela and her co-accused Vela Mabena
suffocated the judge with cling-wrap in his Sea Point flat on 5 June
2009.
Maqubela and Mabena have denied this and claim he died of
natural causes.
Prosecutors closed their case against them last week.
Maqubela's defence team gave notice last week of an
application before the court on Tuesday for Maqubela to testify, but only after
other defence witnesses had completed their evidence. Procedure would normally
require Maqubela to testify first.
On Tuesday, Maqubela's defence said it had decided to
abandon the intended application. Due to the complexities of the case, it
needed time to consider its options.
Murphy said he was willing to make some allowances, but
the case would proceed next Tuesday, whatever the circumstances.
On Thursday, Murphy dismissed a defence application for
Maqubela to be acquitted.
The application was based on the grounds that the State
had not made out a prima facie case against her and she therefore had no case
to meet.
Murphy ruled the State had made out a case against her.
Maqubela faces additional charges of forgery, for
allegedly forging her husband's will after his death, and fraud.
- SAPA
