SIPHO MURDER TRIAL RESUMES TODAY

MBABANE - The stage has been set again. After a one-and-a-half month wait, murder accused Sipho Shongwe is expected back in court today. When the trial started on May 28, 2019, Shongwe, who stands accused of the murder of businessman and football administrator Victor Gamedze, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Crown is, however, adamant that he had a hand in the murder of the astute businessman. When the matter was adjourned on June 6, 2019, the Crown had led 16 witnesses.  Among witnesses who were parade by the Crown before the matter was adjourned, was prominent Manzini businessman Mike Mamba, who was later to be arrested for perjury.

Expected to take to the witness stand today is Ntombifuthi Masuku who was employed at the Mbabane Lodge where the plan to kill businessman Victor Gamedze is suspected to have been hatched.

Evidence

During the course of the trial, the Crown will also lead an expert from South Africa who specialises in telephonic evidence.   Shongwe recently complained in one of the applications that he would not be able to hire an expert to counter the telephonic evidence due to lack of funds.

Masuku is expected to give a detailed account of how the trio of Mbusi ‘Ncaza’ Nkosi, Simphiwe ‘Tata’ Ngubane and ‘Dzodzo’ Zikalala/Luthango lodged at the guest house for several days before the news of the death of Gamedze started to spread like wildfire.

Masuku is the woman who was allegedly requested by the trio to go to Shongwe at the Matsapha Maximum Prison but she declined because she was afraid of the accused.

In her evidence-in-chief today, Masuku will further articulate how one of the suspects ended up proposing love to her.
When the case was adjourned on June 6, 2019, an audio recording, purported to be a conversation between Masuku and two of the suspects, was played in court. Masuku will also reveal what the suspects did upon arrival, during their stay and their departure from the lodge after Gamedze had been murdered.

Information gathered is that this witness could take long in the witness stand as she has been called upon to expand or elaborate on the details of the conversation contained in the recording. Advocate Michael Hellens, who is the prosecuting attorney, will lead and re-examine Masuku based on the recording and statements she recorded with the police during the investigation of the murder.

Today, the State anticipates leading a total of five witnesses, including businessmen and a high-ranking official in one of the mobile phone companies.
The matter is before Judge Nkosinathi Maseko, who took over from Judge Mbutfo Mamba after he recused himself, citing his close association with people who were linked with Mbabane Swallows Football Club.

The murder trial has been allocated 11 days beginning from today, tomorrow and Friday.
Other dates that have been allocated for the matter are September 2, 3, 4 and 5, 2019, as well as September 10, 11, 12 and 13, 2019. 

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