Judgement in Mohapi trial today

Update

GEORGE NEWS - After Thembalethu lost one of its daughters and two little girls lost their mother in a brutal murder in June 2018, judgement will finally be delivered in the Hlompho Mohapi (Koloi) murder case today, Thursday 2 September.

The three accused are pastor Melisiswe Monqo (33), his wife and co-accused, Siphoshile Pamba (26) and Monqo's cousin, Phumlani Quesheka (31).

The state delivered its final heads of argument relating to the evidence and witness testimonies given during the case, and the accused's defence gave their requests and final versions of events given by their clients in the George Circuit High Court on Monday 30 August.

ALSO READ: Vrou se liggaam op Voëlklip-pad gevind

In her final heads of argument, state prosecutor Adv Evadne Kortjé said that although there was no eyewitness when Mohapi's life was taken, the evidence of the four material witnesses, who testified about incidents relating to the victims in the Eastern Cape where the accused used the same modus operandi to try and kill another woman, was credible and that their testimonies corroborate with the cellphone evidence.

She said that although the witnesses were not perfect, they were open and honest and that the discrepancies in evidence between them merely show different perspectives and do not discredit them as witnesses.

She continued her submission to court by saying the DNA, cellphone and circumstantial evidence will prove that the accused are guilty of Mohapi's violent and vicious death and that they conspired to kill Mohapi for financial gain.

She also said that Pamba, who told the court that her husband used abuse to force her to take out fraudulent life insurance policies, had more than enough opportunities to tell the truth, but never made use of them. "Instead they don't miss an opportunity to deceive and lie," Kortjé said.

Monqo

In his final heads of argument, Adv Johan Visser (SC) who represents Monqo, said that although Monqo was aware of the plan to kill Mohapi, he was not physically involved in any way.

The court heard that Mohapi's murder, along with the three earlier attempted murders in the Eastern Cape in which Monqo is also a suspect, as well as the fraudulent life and funeral policies that were taken out on the names of the various victims, were all masterminded by a member of his church whom he had an affair with in the Eastern Cape.

He claimed she forced him to frame his wife (Pamba) by forcing her to take out the policies. This way they could get her locked up and be together. The woman was allegedly threatening the lives of Monqo and his family and he was forced to do what he did.

ALSO READ: Hlompho Mohapi murder: Judgement scheduled for August

Fraudulent life insurance policies were also taken out on the same woman's life after which there were a number of alleged attempts on her life.

In his submission, Visser stated that the reason Monqo's phone was in the Suzuki that picked up Mohapi, was because he left it in the car to charge and forgot it there.

Pamba

In her closing arguments for Pamba, Att Louise Luterek said that Pamba was a battered woman under the influence of her husband and that there had been previous incidents of abuse witnessed by others. She tried to seek help, but due to her situation it was difficult for her to find any. She started acting mechanically to avoid abuse and to protect her life, her mother's and that of her child.

The court heard that Pamba was not physically involved in the murder of Hlompho Mohapi.

She said that her phone was with Monqo many times as he did not want her to contact other people and that was the reason her phone was in the Suzuki that picked up Mohapi on the day of her death.

She did admit that she and Monqo was in Herold's Bay later that day, but said that was because Monqo wanted to see the airport after which they went to town to get medicine for her child. She said he controlled her.

ALSO READ: Hlompho Mohapi murder: Accused No 3 'Had no idea"

She does not deny making the phone calls to various life insurance companies or giving false information, but said that Monqo forced her to do so by threatening and abusing her. She also admitted to giving the police a false statement, but said that this was to protect herself, her mother and her child.

Quesheka

Luterek, who is also representing Quesheka, said that even though he could be traced by cellphone evidence in the Eastern Cape when Monqo allegedly tried to kill the woman whom he had an affair with, he said that he had given his cellphone to someone else who travelled with it.

Luterek said he denies having had anything further to do with the attempted murder of the potential victim and he withdrew actively from any attempt to murder or hurt her.

Pertaining to Hlompho's death, Quesheka stands with what he said in his testimony in that he was working at Pamba's mother's house levelling gravel in the driveway and that he had nothing to do with or knew about Mohapi's murder.

Although witnesses said that there were two men in the car who picked up Hlompho, there is no proof that Quesheka was one of them. Yes, his sim card was activated in Hlompho's phone hours after her death, but he claims that the phone was given to him by Pamba only later that afternoon.

Money-driven

Mohapi (25) had seven stab wounds to her chest and her throat was slit during what appears to be nothing more than a money-driven murder. Her butchered body was found by a passing fisherman next to the gravel road leading to Voëlklip on 5 July 2018, while her mother was attending a funeral in Lesotho.

After completion of testimonies by 36 witnesses called by the state, the three accused, who have all been in custody since shortly after the incident, are now awaiting judgement by Honourable Judge Taswell Papier.

Besides the charge of murder the accused are facing various charges including that of kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, fraud, defeating or obstructing the course of justice and house-breaking.

Before proceedings started it was put on record that Adv Dawie Scholtz, who represented Pamba, has fallen severely ill and would not be able to represent his client any further. Att Louise Luterek from Mossel Bay, who is representing Quesheka, has been tasked to handle further proceedings on his behalf.

Scholtz's illness has come as a great shock to everyone who crossed his path and George Herald wishes him strength for the road ahead.

Read previous articles: