Durban — Arguments by the State and defence on the merits of the case in the trial against a Pinetown nurse are set to be heard in the Durban High Court in January.
She has been charged alongside her brother in the the kidnapping and murder of her husband, Nkosi Timmy Langa.
Nomphumelelo Patricia Goncalves and her brother, Nkosinathi Steve Zungu, have been on trial for the 2020 murder of Nkosi Timmy Langa, a Transnet engineer, since May 2022.
On Thursday, the widow’s counsel, advocate Siphelele Zwane, concluded his re-examination of his client following her cross-examination by senior State prosecutor advocate Krishen Shah.
The nurse is alleged to have hired Zungu and James Mashudu “Ramaphosa” Mthimkhulu. Mthimkhulu is a State witness and is serving time for his part in the crime.
Zungu and Mthimkhulu had allegedly forced Langa into his Isuzu X-Rider at his home near Hampshire Place in Pinetown on September 29, 2020. They had taken him to a forest in Ozwathini. There, he was killed, allegedly with an electric cord cut from an iron in his home.
The cord had been wrapped around his neck. Zungu had allegedly pulled one end and Mthimkhulu the other. They had left his body in the forest.
On Thursday, Zwane closed his case after having called his client to lead evidence.
The State had led evidence by Mthimkhulu, a cellphone expert from a network provider, Pieter Andries Oosthuizen, with Tracker He had testified around Goncalves’ vehicle movements, and by Mandisa Ngidi who testified that she had heard how the nurse wanted Langa killed and had offered R15 000 as payment while in the car with Goncalves.
Langa’s elder sister, Zodwa, also testified as a State witness.
Shah had closed his case in June. Thereafter, Zungu’s lawyer, Jabulisa Malinga, presented his case to the court where he called Zungu to the stand to testify.
Acting Judge Bonke Dumisa said he would need a month to come to his decision.
He adjourned the matter to January, for the State and defence to argue the merits of the case and ordered that they submit their written heads of arguments 10 days before the hearing.
“This is a very intricate case. By 31 March, I would have written a well-informed ruling, it can not be done before then my reputation and the court’s reputation are at stake,” said Acting Judge Dumisa.
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