Thandi Maqubela - on trial for killing her husband - became emotional as she recalled the day she was told of her husband’s death.
|||Cape Town - Thandi Maqubela - on trial for murdering her acting judge husband - became emotional in the witness stand as she recalled the day she was told of her husband’s death.
On Monday the widow, who has so far remained calm during her testimony, was given a moment to regain her composure during her cross-examination as tears welled up in her eyes.
Maqubela and Vela Mabena have pleaded not guilty to murdering late Acting Judge Patrick Maqubela. She also faces fraud and forgery charges regarding a signature on his will.
The judge’s body was found on June 7, 2009 in his luxury Bantry Bay apartment - two days after his death.
The State alleges he had been suffocated with cling-film.
Under cross examination, Maqubela told the Western Cape High Court she had heard from her husband’s uncle, Count Maqubela, that the judge’s body was found on the Sunday afternoon. She was in the Eastern Cape at the time.
She could not remember if she had received any other calls about it.
The court has heard that Maqubela, pictured, had flown from Cape Town to Joburg late on Friday, June 5.
She said she was supposed to meet her husband at Cape Town International Airport and fly to Qumbu in the Eastern Cape, but he had not arrived at the airport.
That Saturday she received “consistent” calls from many concerned people and decided to go the Eastern Cape.
On Monday, State advocate Bonnie Currie-Gamwo told Maqubela that her three cellphones’ detailed billing records did not list anyone who had called out of concern for her husband and that there “were no such calls”.
Questions were also raised regarding a statement she had made to a police Captain Van Ede when she arrived back at the Bantry Bay apartment after her husband’s body was found.
Currie-Gamwo said that the cellphone records and the police statement placed her at the apartment that Friday afternoon - during the time Maqubela said she had gone to the airport.
Maqubela said she did not check exactly when she went to the airport.
The trial continues on Tuesday.
natasha.prince@inl.co.za
Cape Argus