Durban — The man who had allegedly been hired with one other by his sister to kidnap and murder her husband has denied there was ever a plot discussed to murder the deceased with his sister.
This was evidence contrary to what two State witnesses had led previously in court.
On Wednesday, accused Nkosinathi Steve Zungu, on the stand, also told the Durban High Court that the death of his brother-in-law, Nkosi Timmy Langa, had been a mistake.
Zungu is on trial with his sister, Nomphumelelo Patricia Goncalves, charged with the murder and kidnapping of Langa.
Goncalves, out on bail, is alleged to have hired Zungu, who remains behind bars, and James Mashudu “Ramaphosa” Mthimkhulu in 2020 to kidnap Langa from their Pinetown home and kill him.
The nurse and her brother are on trial for the murder and robbery. Goncalves faces two more charges of defeating the course of justice for allegedly falsely reporting her husband missing and the theft of his car.
Mthimkhulu, now serving 20 years in prison for his role in the murder, as a state witness, previously testified that Langa was killed with an electric cord cut from an iron in his home. It was put around his neck, and Zungu pulled one end while he allegedly pulled the other, and he was left in a forest in Ozwathini.
Another State witness, Mandisa Ngidi, who testified that she had been drinking with Zungu and Mthimkhulu on 28 September, the day before Langa’s murder, said that Goncalves had arrived in her car in Kenville, where while in the car, she had heard how the nurse wanted Langa killed and offered R15 000 as payment.
However, on the stand, Zungu denied that such a plot was discussed and that Ngidi never entered his sister’s VW Polo Golf.
“Mandisa was present, but she was not close to us. She was a distance away, talking to other people. Mandisa never entered accused two's car. I entered the car, and so did Ramaphosa.”
Zungu has told the court how after his arrest, he informed police, who had asked him, that accused two had nothing to do with what happened.
He testified that it had been agreed between himself and four others, who were present when Langa allegedly died, that the demise of the deceased would be kept secret.
“We agreed that what happened to the deceased had to remain amongst us and was not to be shared with anyone else, and we agreed that it was a mistake that had happened and we would all carry the responsibility,” said Zungu.
The trial continues.
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