- The trial of Ntuthuko Shoba is currently underway in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.
- He is accused of being the alleged mastermind in the murder of Tshegofatso Pule.
- Pule died in June 2020. She was found hanging from a tree in Roodepoort.
Tshegofatso Pule left Ntuthuko Shoba's home on 4 June 2020 because his girlfriend kept calling him, the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg heard on Tuesday.
The State called its second witness in the trial, Palesa Senokoane, who identified herself as Pule's cousin who lived with her in Meadowlands, Soweto.
Senokoane dealt with the events of 4 June 2020 when Pule, who was believed to be carrying Shoba's unborn child, was murdered.
According to her knowledge, Shoba was the last person with Pule at his home in Florida, Roodepoort.
She also testified that she and Pule spoke via WhatsApp before 21:00 on the fateful day.
"She gave me a WhatsApp call. We were talking about the list of the child's clothing."
"Well, when I was speaking to her, Shoba was in the background and I said, please pass my regards to Shoba," she testified.
According to Senokoane, she never spoke to Pule again after that telephone call.
READ | Tshegofatso Pule murder: Alleged mastermind behind bars pleads not guilty
On Friday, 5 June 2020 and Saturday, 6 June 2020, Senokoane attempted to make contact with Pule, but to no avail.
She testified that she rang Shoba on Sunday, 7 June 2020 in the morning, and asked about Pule's whereabouts to which Shoba allegedly responded that he "does not know".
Senokoane noted that she said she would call him back and that the accused did sound concerned.
She said:
"Well, he told me that Tshegofatso eventually decided to give up and leave [his place] because his girlfriend Rosetta was phoning often, and then he offered to take her home. He said Pule declined his offer to take her home and said that there was someone else who was going to fetch her."
News24 reported in June 2020 that Pule's uncle, Tumisang Katake, told the Sunday Times that the police had shown the family CCTV footage taken outside Shoba's home.
In it, Pule can allegedly be seen getting into a grey Jeep on the Thursday night in question. Shoba did not go with her.
ALSO READ: Court hears of alleged ploy to lure Tshegofatso Pule to location under guise of a job offer
News24 reported that Pule's body was found hanging from a tree in Roodepoort in June 2020. She was eight months pregnant.
At the time of her disappearance, her family had told media that the 28-year-old beautician had gone to visit Shoba - who they described as her boyfriend - because they would buy clothes for the child.
Shoba was implicated in the murder of Pule after the State secured a guilty plea from Muzikayise Malephane in January last year.
Malephane admitted to killing Pule, allegedly on instruction from Shoba.
Shoba faces one count of murder, alternatively conspiracy to commit murder, and two counts of defeating the ends of justice.
The trial continues.
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