‘TSOTSI’ STORMS COURT, WANTS TO TESTIFY

MBABANE – He is itching to clear his name! Livid Advocate, Mduduzi ‘Tsotsi’ Mabila, on Wednesday stormed the High Court, where the trial of murder suspect Sipho Shongwe is being held, demanding that he be instantly called to the witness stand.

When the furious Mabila entered the court to make this demand, German Victor Gamedze was on the witness stand. German is one of the State witnesses.
Mabila, who was visibly angry, entered the courtroom in the company of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Phila Dlamini and he (Mabila) went straight to the Crown’s defence where he squatted  next to Principal Crown Counsel Absalom Makhanya and whispered his demand to him. He demanded to be called to the witness stand immediately.

He informed the Crown’s legal team, which was seated in the front row facing the presiding judge, that he wanted to clear his name following some disquieting allegations that were made against him by one of the State witnesses.

Before Mabila hurriedly entered the courtroom where everyone was sitting quietly observing the proceedings, he first had a conversation with the DPP and the investigator of the case, expressing his desire to be called to the witness stand.

Implicated

Information gathered is that, the Crown’s legal team allegedly informed Mabila that he was not implicated in the matter neither is he going to be a witness during the trial. He was further informed that he was not among the witnesses who were to be paraded on the day.

After the explanation, Mabila left the courtroom where Shongwe’s trial was being heard, and went to another courtroom where he was to represent a client.
Advocate Mabila’s reaction follows allegations that were made by businessman Sipho ‘Tsetla’ Bhembe in his evidence in-chief during the trial.  Bhembe was the second witness to be paraded by the Crown. In his evidence in-chief on Tuesday, Bhembe narrated that he was acquainted with both Gamedze and Shongwe through football.

Bhembe, who is the director of Vovovo FC, told the court that Shongwe allegedly asked Gamedze if he knew people who would help get rid of Gamedze. He clarified that Shongwe was allegedly referring to hit men who would kill Gamedze. Bhembe said Shongwe informed him that he was not happy with Gamedze, in that he was dominating them and that he was allegedly doing so through corruption.

Bhembe stated that he informed Shongwe that Gamedze was his friend and that it would be difficult for him to do what he was asking him to do. He said he later learnt from one of Shongwe’s friends that turning down Shongwe was foolish.
Bhembe further said he was confused because Shongwe would be seen talking to Gamedze and then later come to him (Bhembe) to complain that he was not happy with him (Gamedze).

When Shongwe was murdered at Galp Filling Station on January 14, 2018, Bhembe informed the court that he immediately called the police, particularly the late Detective Solomon Mavuso and Bheki Dlamini.
He said he informed Mavuso that they should arrest Shongwe, ‘Dzodzo’ Zikalala and Advocate Mabila.

Unfamiliar

He narrated that during the soccer game at Somhlolo National Stadium, prior to Gamedze’s murder, he had seen ‘Dzodzo’, who was an unfamiliar figure in football matches, allegedly in the company of Mabila. He stated that Gamedze was sitting in the royal box and Mabila went to occupy a seat leaving ‘Dzodzo’ behind.

Bhembe testified that ‘Dzodzo’ disappeared for a while and returned with a man, who was slim, and they proceeded to the edge of the royal box. He alleged that ‘Dzodzo’ nodded his head in the direction of Gamedze in a manner that suggested that he was pointing or showing Gamedze to the man he was in the company of.

He further explained that after the football match, there was heavy traffic and he saw ‘Dzodzo’ travelling in a red VW Golf. He testified that Gamedze’s car was also in the traffic and there were two cars between the deceased’s car and the one driven by ‘Dzodzo’.
Bhembe said he drove past them and later learnt that Gamedze had been murdered.

The businessman stated that he called Mavuso and advised that they should arrest Shongwe, Mabila and ‘Dzodzo’. He acknowledged that he had not seen Shongwe anywhere on the day of the shooting.
The police, according to the businessman, said his evidence was not tangible.

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