Zwelethu Mthethwa found guilty of murdering Nokuphila Khumalo
The Western Cape High Court Judge Patricia Goliath said the court was satisfied that the state had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, and added that the accused’s claim of memory loss was “belated and fabricated”.
A psychiatrist testified last week that Mthethwa had no recollection of events that night, possibly due to alcohol consumption.
Mthethwa did not hand in a plea explanation or testify in his own defence.
In December, questions were raised about Mthethwa’s decision not to testify during his trial.
Both his lawyer William Booth and prosecutor Christhenus van der Vijver agreed during closing arguments that he had a right to remain silent and that doing so was not a sign of guilt.
Van der Vijver cautioned that if the case was not sufficiently answered, it could have consequences for Mthethwa.
Mthethwa was alleged to have kicked Kumalo repeatedly – she died from blunt force trauma.
The State alleged he was caught on CCTV camera as he parked his Porsche in Ravenscraig Road, Woodstock.
The ANC Women’s League said yesterday that it was concerned that it had taken two years for the murder trial to be concluded.
“If the [judicial] system is serious on discouraging perpetrators from committing these cruel acts of violence and gruesome murder of women, harsher sentences must [be] imposed,” the league added.
Mthethwa’s bail has been withdrawn and he will remain in custody until his sentencing on March 29.
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