- Major expectation is his defence against ‘Ncaza’s allegations
- Matter going to court on October 24-28, 2022
Mbabane – The nation has big expectations when murder accused, businessman Sipho Shongwe, presents his side of the story.
After four years of remand custody , the time for the murder accused, Shongwe, to present his side of the story has come.
Shongwe is accused of killing astute businessman Victor Gamedze on January 14, 2018. Mbuso ‘Ncaza’ Nkosi, a South African national, admitted to shooting Gamedze twice in the head at Ezulwini Galp Filling Station. ‘Ncaza’ alleged that he had been coerced by Shongwe to kill Gamedze.
The Crown closed its case after leading 49 witnesses. ‘Ncaza’ and Mbuso ‘Tata’ Ngubane, who are both South African nationals, were made accomplice witnesses.
The last witness for the Crown was Dudu Gyweneth Nkosi, the mother of ‘Ncaza’. Judge Nkosinathi Maseko was informed that the accused needed time to consult with his legal team before taking to the witness stand to present his side of the story.
This resulted in the matter being postponed to October 24-28, 2022. His legal representative asked to utilise the courtroom for consultations with Shongwe instead of going to the Correctional facility where he is currently detained. The court then directed officers from His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) to bring Shongwe to the court until he had finished consulting with his legal team. Meanwhile, the shooting of the businessman was captured on CCTV cameras at the filling station and the footage was played in court during ‘Ncaza’s cross-examination.
‘Ncaza’ apologised to the nation and the Gamedze family for committing the murder. He testified as an accomplice witness and is yet to be indemnified from prosecution. More video footages were downloaded at Ezulwini SuperSpar and Ngwenya Border Gate. The evidence of ‘Ncaza’’s mother comes after that of the lead investigator in the matter, Senior Superintendent Sikhumbuzo Shongwe.
Shongwe might also need to clarify ‘Ncaza’s evidence-in-chief, where he informed the court that Sandile ‘Dzodzo’ Zikalala/Luthango told him that four other people were involved in the plot to kill businessman and football administrator in Gamedze. The names of the four people mentioned by ‘Dzodzo’ were one Sthofen, Mike, Mamba and Zakes. However, he did not mention any surnames, but only referred to the other as Mamba.
Last year, Siphiwe ‘Tata’ Ngubane told the court that while Nkosi and ‘Dzodzo’ had gone out, leaving
him alone at the guest house in which they were lodged in Mbabane, four well-built and well-
dressed men arrived and told him that the job had to be done without delay. Ngubane said he was
not aware of the identities of the men as he was seeing them for the first time. He also said he did
not ask them any questions because he was not sure about their identities since it was possible that
they might be police officers. Nkosi submitted that the quartet was allegedly financing Solani’s
Shisanyama and they were dangerous.
When he takes to the stand, Shongwe, as the prime suspect, might have to shed light before Judge
Nkosinathi Maseko on the identities of the four men Nkosi and Ngubane were referring to among
other issues.
‘Dzodzo’ allegedly proceeded to tell Nkosi that he and Ngubane were supposed to be killed after the
murder of Gamedze. Nkosi alleged that he had also discovered that he had to be killed as well. Nkosi
was narrating how they got away after he had shot Gamedze.
Nkosi (41) further told the High Court that he had to choose between his family and Gamedze.
Nkosi, who is the man who pulled the trigger of the gun that killed Victor Gamedze, alleged that
Shongwe threatened to kill his first-born child and pregnant girlfriend if he refused to kill Gamedze.
He said, “Shongwe called me and said he knew where my first born stayed, attended school and
what grade he was doing. He also told me that he knew that my girlfriend was pregnant and whe re
she stayed. “Nkosi told the court that this transpired the day after he had turned down Shongwe’s
proposition to kill Gamedze for a sum of E80 000.
The South African national, who is also serving a 10-year sentence in his home country on an
attempted murder charge, said he was excited to receive a phone call from one Farouk for a job he
had organised.
“In January jobs are scarce, I was happy to be told there was a job we could do as I was in need of
money. When I arrived at Farouk’s workshop the following day, he was not there. I called him and he
told me to meet up with Shongwe and I did. He was in the company of another man who identified
himself as Charlie who I later learned was ‘Dzodzo’. Shongwe said he had a different kind of job to
the one we usually do. He said he wanted me to kill someone who was giving him trouble running
his drugs business. I turned down the offer and told him that we did not spill blood but we only deal
in armed robbery,” he said.
Nkosi continued to explain that Shongwe did not take kindly to his refusal to do the job. He made
threats to the effect that he did not know who he was dealing with. The following morning Nkosi
claims Shongwe threatened his family if he did not proceed with the job he had been offered.
“I was frightened; I called Farouk and returned to his workshop. I asked Siphiwe (‘Tata’ Ngubane) to
accompany me to Farouk’s place. I told him that we have been offered a job but did not tell him
about the plan to kill Gamedze,” he said.
Nkhosi alleged that should he have told Ngubane of the plot to kill Gamedze, he would have turned
him down because that was not the kind of business, they were involved in. He said he did not even
tell his friend about the threats because it would have been easier for Ngubane to realize that it was
not the usual kind of job they were to undertake.
Nkosi said Ngubane was under the impression that they were here in Eswatini to rob Gamedze.
“Shongwe gave us E10 000 to buy a stolen car for the job, however, we negotiated and ended up
buying a Toyota Yaris with E6500.” It is the same vehicle that they drove to Eswatini after making
duplicates of number plates from a vehicle parked in an undisclosed garage. He also amazed the
court when he explained that he had no travelling documents and he managed to pass through the
border gate with Shongwe’s assistance from dealings with the customs and immigration officers at
the border.
“Dzodzo’ and Siphiwe used the illegal crossing point for us to meet at a nearby shopping complex on
the Eswatini side. We then met Shongwe who drove in a black SUV Mercedes similar to a BMW X5 in
its make. He alighted from the car, handing over to Dzodzo’ two guns wrapped in a towel cloth and
in a plastic bag. They were to be used for the job,” he said.
Nkosi said they were booked in a guesthouse but they arrived late so he and Ngubane slept inside
the car and Dzodzo’ slept on the veranda. He explained that they arrived on a Thursday evening,
went to look for Gamedze on Friday and Saturday but could not find him. He also highlighted they
had to go buy a few clothes at Pep Stores and food at Pick n Pay as well as Solanis Shisanyama.
At Solanis, Nkosi narrated on they meet two ladies who worked at the place and started proposing
love.
“I received a phone call from Sipho Shongwe on Saturday evening informing me that he knew where
Gamedze could be found the next day. Shongwe and Dzodzo’ then left to arrange for our escape
route once the job had been done. On the Saturday evening, I returned to Solanis to buy a bottle of
Hennessy. Siphiwe asked me to return with the girl that he had proposing love to the previous day
but she refused. I left with my bottle and went back to the guesthouse.”
He continued, “At the stadium, Dzodzo’ was to hug the target person for me to identify him and he
did. The target person looked at me while seated at the stadium as if he suspected what we wanted
to do while I was seated with a young girl and her brother who sold some items at the stadium. After
the match, I followed the target and saw him boarding his vehicle. I quickly called Siphiwe and
Dzodzo’ to tell them that the target person was leaving. They quickly arrived as they were having a
few drinks not very far from the stadium. We followed him in Dzodzo’s Polo. At Ezulwini, he took a
turn towards the filling station. Dzodzo’ said it was then that the job had to be done. He gave me the
gun. I alighted from the car and he went to quickly remove the number plates of the vehicle. When I
reached Victor Gamedze, I shot him twice in the head.”
That was when Nkosi broke down into tears as the court was silent.
Nkosi (41) has also alleged that Sipho Shongwe’s wife, Vuyiswa and his son, Sifiso, offered him E300
000 to change his statement in the murder case.
He told the court that a number of people tried to influence him not to testify against Shongwe,
alleging that some people paid him a visit in prison where he was serving a sentence of 10 years for
attempted murder while others called him. He alleged that most of these people had been sent by
Shongwe to try to convince him against testifying against him (Shongwe). Nkosi alleged that he was
approached even after January 10, 2022, which was when he went to the High Court of Eswatini for
the first time following his extradition. On that date, Shongwe’s trial did not proceed and it was
postponed and Nkosi was taken back to South Africa.
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