Mohapi murder: 26th state witness testifies

Update

GEORGE NEWS - The 26th state witness to take the stand in the Hlompho Mohapi (Koloi) murder case started his testimony in the George Circuit High Court this morning, Thursday 11 February.

Mohapi's body was found on the Voëlklip road near Herold's Bay on 5 July 2018. She was lying on her stomach and had multiple open wounds to her chest and neck.

This came after she was allegedly lured to her death under the pretence of a job interview at George Airport. Life and funeral policies worth nearly R5-million had been taken out on her name shortly before she was murdered.

The three accused, Melisizwe Monqo, his wife Siphosihle Pamba and cousin, Phumlani Quesheka, have been in custody since their arrest in July 2018.

They allegedly also attempted to kill another woman in the Eastern Cape after five life and funeral policies were taken out on her name without her knowledge.

More life and funeral policies were taken out on two other women's names, also without their knowledge.

These incidents date back as far as 2017.

In total, nearly R30-million's worth of policies were allegedly taken out on their victims' names.

In his testimony, the state witness (36) from King Williams Town in the Eastern Cape, told how he and Quesheka were offered R10 000 by Monqo to murder Nomfundiso Booi, also from the Eastern Cape, in 2018.

He explained how the two of them and the accused tracked down Booi in Queenstown in an attempt to kill her.

However, he said his intention was never to kill her, but to pretend to kill her and take the money from Monqo.

The court also heard that Pamba was witness to most of their discussions with Monqo about killing Booi.

Booi also had life and funeral policies taken out on her name without her knowledge.

The witness will continue with his testimony this afternoon.

At the start of the trial last year, Monqo pleaded guilty to his involvement in Mohapi's murder as well as 14 other charges. These included attempted murder, fraud, kidnapping and assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Pamba and Quesheka pleaded not guilty to all charges against them.

These include murder, fraud, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, aggravated robbery and assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Pamba also pleaded not guilty to the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, as well as a charge of housebreaking with the intent to murder.

*The state prosecutor, Adv Evadné Kortjé, this morning informed the court that the witness is a Section 204 witness.

Section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 entails the following:

“Whenever prosecutor at criminal proceedings informs the court that any person called as a witness on behalf of the prosecution will be required by the prosecution to answer questions which may incriminate such witness with regard to an offence specified by the prosecutor —

such witness shall thereupon give evidence and answer any question put to him, whether by the prosecution, the accused or the court, notwithstanding that the reply thereto may incriminate him.

If a witness referred to in subsection (1), in the opinion of the court, answers frankly and honestly all questions put to him —

(a) such witness shall, subject to the provisions of subsection (3), be discharged from prosecution for the offence so specified by the prosecutor and for any offence in respect of which a verdict of guilty would be competent upon a charge relating to the offence so specified; and

(b) the court shall cause such discharge to be entered on the record of the proceedings in question.

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