SIPHO OFFERED US E700 000 CASH, E2M DRUGS – ‘TATA’

MBABANE – Sipho Shongwe is alleged to have offered Siphiwe ‘Tata’ Ngubane and Mbuso ‘Ncaza’ Nkosi drugs worth E2 million and E700 000 to refuse to testify against him.

This was disclosed by Ngubane during the murder trial yesterday. Shongwe is on trial for allegedly killing Victor Gamedze. According to Ngubane, who is an accomplice witness, Shongwe allegedly made the offer through Advocate Nthabiseng Mohomane. The advocate is alleged to have approached Ngubane and Nkosi at Diepkloof Prison where they were incarcerated.

After Gamedze’s murder on January 14, 2018, Ngubane was arrested on an extradition warrant and was found in possession of an unlicenced firearm, for which he was convicted. Nkosi, on the other hand, according to Ngubane, was arrested for shooting at police officers and violating his parole. Ngubane told the court that while they were in prison, Advocate Jacques Nel was their representative in the extradition matter until his mandate was terminated and Advocate William Sekgatja took over.  He stated that during that period, he and Nkosi were willing to come to Eswatini to testify against Shongwe. He maintained that his decision to testify against Shongwe had not changed.

Testify

When asked by Advocate Michael Hellens for the Crown if he was willing to testify against Shongwe, he said: “Ngangiyimisele (I was willing).” He pointed out that his stance never changed and added that Nkosi also wanted to testify against the accused. He said if anyone could say he no longer wanted to testify, that would be untrue. Ngubane told the court that he was willing to testify because he wanted closure on the matter. He said Advocate Nel advised him to stick to the truth. However, he said he had some conflict with Advocate Nel for about two weeks because he (Ngubane) wanted to come to Eswatini to testify, but he (Nel) was seemingly failing to deliver on his wish and his mandate was terminated in June or July 2019.

Ngubane told the court that, while he and Nkosi were in prison, they were visited by investigators and prosecutors from Eswatini since they had encountered problems in that Mohomane visited them and allegedly made the offer for drugs and money. He said Advocate Mohomane introduced herself and told them she had been instructed by people from Eswatini to represent them in their extradition matter. He said they had not engaged her as their representative. He pointed out that they did not expect her visit and that she came at a time when they were waiting for Advocate Sekgatja from Legal Aid.

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