Pule murder case: 'Shoba initially offered me R7k to kill her'
Convicted murderer Muzikayise Malephane, the man who confessed to killing Pule, has taken the witness stand testifying against Ntuthuko Shoba, the alleged mastermind.
JOHANNESBURG - The State's star witness in the Tshegofatso Pule murder case has told the Johannesburg High Court that he was initially offered a mere R7,000 to find a person to murder the pregnant woman.
Convicted murderer Muzikayise Malephane, the man who confessed to killing Pule, has taken the stand testifying against Ntuthuko Shoba, the alleged mastermind.
He turned State witness and is already serving a 20-year sentence as part of his plea bargain.
The 28-year-old was found hanging from a tree in Durban Deep while she was eight months pregnant.
When he made his way into court, acting judge Stuart Wilson ordered that Malephane's leg irons be removed to allow him to give his testimony comfortably.
In sweatpants and a bright orange t-shirt, Malephane settled into his seat ready to give his account.
He told the court that he and Shoba knew each other from high school and in their adult years they partied together.
He said in 2020, months before Pule's murder, Shoba approached him to help him find a person who could murder her.
Malephane said Shoba made a monetary offer to him: “The second time, he raised the figure to R20,000 and I told him that the money that he was offering was too little.”
He said Shoba also gave specifications on how Pule should be killed.
As proceedings continue, Wilson has also ordered that Shoba's leg irons be removed but is waiting for advice from the judge president.
#NtuthukoShoba is in the Johannesburg high court for the second day of trial for the murder of #TshegofatsoPule. Yesterday he sat with a notebook and a pen periodically taking notes, today he has brought a file. @motso_modise pic.twitter.com/zIPF94dn9u
EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) January 25, 2022
Acting Judge Wilson has also ordered that #NtuthukoShobas leg irons be removed. He says if there is no immediate threat to security then there is no reason for the men to be cuffed. Shoba has thanked the judge for his humanity. #TshegofatsoPule
EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) January 25, 2022
Malephane says #NtuthukoShoba initially offered him R7000 to offer a person to kill #TshegofatsoPule then he raised it to R20000 but when he said that was too little they agreed on R70000. @motso_modise
EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) January 25, 2022
Malephane says #NtuthukoShoba told him that there is a woman who he has set up to arrange an interview with #TshegofatsoPule, he says after the interview he was meant to pick Tshego up and take her to Shobas house. He says that was the day Tshego was meant to die. KM
EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) January 25, 2022
