MBOMBELA – Murder accused for fatally shooting two siblings, has pleaded guilty.
This was during his trial that began today in the Mpumalanga High Court sitting where Hlabirwa Rassie Nkuna(36), appeared on Monday. Nkuna is accused of shooting his girlfriend, Pretty Mazibuko and her sister, Marcia Mazibuko in KaNyamazane on May 15, 2022.
He faces two counts of murder of which he initially pleaded guilty for. However, the state changed his plea on the first count to not guilty based on the contents of his statement.
READ|Police sought man linked to sisters death
According to Nkuna’s statement, on the day of the incident, he fired shots as he believed someone was trying to steal his car. He claimed he had gone to fetch his girlfriend, but when the sister arrived, there was tension because he was not on good terms with her.
He said she uttered bad things about him and he decided to leave.
The statement reads as follows:
“She was uttering bad things about me. I stood up and went to my motor vehicle intending to leave. I drove for about a kilometre, then the deceased phoned me and said I should come and fetch her. I then made a U-turn and went back.
“When I arrived, I parked the motor vehicle outside the yard and did not switch it off. I hooted so that she can come out, but she did not. I then got out of the motor vehicle, leaving the key in the ignition. I went inside the yard to call the deceased.
“At that time, she was still arguing with her sister. When I got inside the yard, Marcia Mazibuko was throwing beer bottles and wanted to hit my motor vehicle. I then approached her in order to reprimand her. “While talking to her, I heard my motor vehicle moving and I turned to look at it. It was moving on reverse. I had a firearm in my possession at that time and it was tucked on the front part of my pants. I took it out and went outside the yard, following the motor vehicle. I did not see who was driving my motor vehicle as it was dark.
“At that time, I believed that someone was stealing my motor vehicle and I fired several shots inside the motor vehicle and cannot remember how many shots. I then heard someone saying: “He shot Marcia”. I then tried to open the door, but I couldn’t as it was locked. I hit the window with the back of the firearm, but it could not break.
“I then fired a shot on the window, put my hand through the window and opened the door. When I looked inside, it was indeed my girlfriend Pretty. Her head had fallen on the driver’s seat. I realized that I had indeed shot her.”
READ|#HillaryGadee | Fifth suspect to appear in court
Judge Takalani Vincent Ratshibvumo indicated the state was not satisfied that all crimes were admitted in his girlfriend’s murder charge.
“As a result, a no guilty plea will be added in count one in terms of Section 113 of the Criminal Procedure Act,” he said. The trial resumes on Tuesday for closing arguments.
