Johannesburg - The trial of murder accused ANC Youth League leader Patrick Wisani came to an abrupt halt on Monday after the prosecutor took exception to comments made by the judge.
While cross examining Wisani, Prosecutor Faghre Mohamed asked why he hadn’t found it strange that he had found his girlfriend wearing a hoodie and covered by a blanket in bed in the summer.
Judge Andre Louw interjected: “It’s quite warm today and it’s in the middle of winter.”
He later added that it was meant as a light hearted comment.
But Mohamed asked for proceedings to be adjourned until Wednesday so that he could ask for advice from his superiors.
“(That is) sarcasm my lord. On record, this honourable court goes further and says it’s a light hearted comment on a serious (matter) like this… I have a director I report to. Any type of action which I’m contemplating, I need his support,” he said.
Louw appeared to get the facts of the trial confused a number of times during the day.
Wisani has been accused of sjambokking his girlfriend, Nosipho Mandleleni to death in September.
He was the ANC Youth League chairman for the Joburg inner city at the time.
While giving his evidence, Wisani told the court that he had only arrived home from an ANC Youth League conference at about 5am on the morning of the murder.
However, one of Wisani’s housemates, Zukiswa Solani had previously told the court that she heard Wisani and Nosipho fighting at around 4am in the morning.
Nosipho’s twin sister, Siphokazi testified that she had heard her sister screaming at around the same time and when she knocked on Wisani’s door, he had emerged with a broken, bloodied broomstick.
Mohamed asked Wisani why his lawyer, Advocate Norman Makhubela had not put his version - that he had only arrived home at 5am - to the witnesses.
“You would agree with me, this part where you were dropped (at home) at 5am was never put to those two witnesses?” asked Mohamed.
Wisani replied defensively: “I don’t want to be a witness to that. There were many other things that were put to court. Where are you going with these questions? My senior counsel has answered you.”
More graphic details emerged about the injuries suffered by Nosipho as the court heard testimony from a paramedic, a police photographer and a forensic pathologist.
The latter, Doctor Robert Ngude said he did not count how many lashes were on the young woman’s body as there were too many.
“The whole back has got many injuries, as a result of many strokes caused by the blunt instrument. I did not individually count them, because they were very extensive,” he said.
Photos taken at the crime scene show her back, buttocks, legs and stomach covered in dark wounds.
Paramedic Stephan Henderson told the court that when he arrived at the scene, Wisani’s bedroom appeared normal and that there were no obvious signs of a fight. He realised that Nosipho had died from unnatural causes after he noticed marks and bruising on the front of her body as well blood spatters and smears on the bedroom walls.
Police photographer Constable Sibusiso Shongwe told the court how one of the murder weapons, the sjambok, as well as a vest covered in Nosipho’s blood were found hidden on the top shelf of a wardrobe in Wisani’s room.
The trial continues on Wednesday.
@Gabi_Falanga
The Star