Durban — The State has asked that the alibi provided by the man charged with the murder and hijacking of an Independent Media employee be rejected.
Bongumusa Prince Mavuso, 42, died on September 23, 2021, after a hijacking and robbery in Mpophomeni, Inanda, two days earlier.
Lethukuthula Ngwenya, 24, charged with the murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances, appeared before Magistrate Ravi Pillay for judgment in the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
After the State and defence addressed the court, Pillay adjourned the case to July 27 for a ruling and sentence.
Mavuso began working at Independent Media in August 2007 as a printer’s mechanic.
He worked at Insights Publishing’s engineering department for 14 years.
The defence argued that it was a case of mistaken identity and Ngema should be acquitted. Ngema’s counsel said he had an alibi.
However, the State said the accused’s alibi was his girlfriend and it was not credible.
“She was there with him when he was arrested and at that time she did not say anything to the police about the accused being with her. Her alibis should be rejected and regarded as false. All the State witnesses were honest, reliable, and credible. They corroborated each other’s evidence in material respect.”
The State added that the “minor inconsistencies in their evidence were not material and did not distract from their credibility”.
“There is direct and circumstantial evidence linking the accused to the matter. The State has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that it was the accused who robbed and murdered the deceased.
“The lawful owner of the car confirmed to the police that she had sold her car to the deceased,” said State prosecutor Kaystree Ramsamujh.
“There was no intervening act from the time the accused inflicted the fatal injury right up until the time (the) deceased was examined by the pathologist.”
Every complication the victim suffered in the hospital for two days was a result of the original injury, Ramsamujh said.
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