Durban — Sibusiso Bongekhaya Mvubu, on trial at the Durban High Court for the murder of his wife, while on the stand this week disputed every State witness’s testimony, and denied that he owned the cellphone number for which the police obtained records.
He has also maintained under oath that he stabbed Philisiwe Mvubu twice, with a third wound accidentally inflicted and that he does not know how she sustained the other 10 wounds described by a State pathologist who testified previously.
Mvubu has pleaded not guilty, claiming self-defence, and alleging that the woman had attempted to stab him, aiming for his chest. He also told the court that he did not know who the Okapi knife found at the scene belonged to, adding that it had been Philisiwe who pulled it out.
“I have no knowledge of how those wounds were caused… My life was in danger when I stabbed her.”
Philisiwe sustained stab wounds to her neck, chest, abdomen, face, and hand.
Before the alleged murder on July 1 last year, the police had accompanied Philisiwe to her home to hand over a protection order to her husband, as he had allegedly wanted to pour boiling water on her.
The investigating officer, Njabulo Maphumulo, before the State closed its case and Mvubu took the stand, testified that Mvubu had provided him with two cellphone numbers that were his.
On the stand leading evidence, Mvubu denied giving Maphumulo these cellphone numbers as his own.
He also contradicted his statements submitted in court as exhibits, in which he said he had been in a relationship with Philisiwe for eight years. On the stand he denied this, saying they were already communicating in 2010, and moved in together the next year.
“I think there was a miscommunication between myself and my counsel,” he said to senior State Advocate Krishen Shah under cross-examination.
Previously, the court had heard from a witness how, on the morning of Philisiwe’s murder, Mvubu had phoned her, telling her he was in the Durban CBD to give his son transport to their rural homestead.
He denied calling her, but admitted in court to being in the Durban CBD, specifically in the vicinity of Victoria Market.
“Is it a coincidence that two phone calls are made to the deceased at about 7am with the cellphone tower showing the location to be around Victoria Market; that on another day two SMSes and one phone call are made to a phone number belonging to your brother from a number we say belongs to you?” asked Shah.
Mvubu’s testimony had been that after leaving his wife locked in their KwaMakhutha home in a pool of blood, he travelled to the Durban CBD, to Pietermaritzburg and then to Estcourt, where his sister lives.
This was while cellphone records handed in as evidence showed the number belonging to Mvubu registering on cellphone towers in the same areas.
“Is it a coincidence that the owner of the number you deny follows your route and ends up in Estcourt and phones your family members? Sergeant Maphumulo testified that you gave him the numbers. Why would he get records of someone else’s number?” asked Shah.
The matter continues on Friday.
Daily News