Tshegofatso Pule’s uncle said he did not expect a delay in the trial against the alleged mastermind behind her killing, as proceedings continue for a second week in the Johannesburg High Court.
The court adjourned to Tuesday to allow Ntuthuko Shoba’s lawyers time to consult after a cellphone expert placed a number Shoba previously denied as his own in the same vicinity as his registered number on several occasions.
Shoba was implicated in Pule’s June 2020 murder by Muzikayise Malephane who is serving a 20-year sentence after he entered into a guilty plea deal with the State.
Malephane attributed the disputed number to Shoba during his testimony last week.
Tshegofatso Pule’s uncle, Tumisang Katake, said he believed the defence had time to prepare for the evidence that was presented by cellphone expert – Warrant Officer Andries van Tonder – in court on Tuesday.
“I anticipated that we would proceed until the last day of the trial because from where I am, it seemed when the disclosure was made to the defence, they had the whole time to prepare for anything.”
He said this would not be the first time Shoba’s lawyers ask to bring in the services of their own cellphone expert since the trial began last week.
“They also cited that they needed to extract the phone records using their own expert. So, I would think from that moment, they had time to consult.”
Katake said while their family was disappointed, they accepted the court’s decision as they wanted this to be conducted as a fair trial and a postponement request was well within the accused’s right.
-EWN
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