Durban - The roommate of the slain Mangosuthu University of Technology student who was allegedly shot to death by her ex-boyfriend has told the court that her roommate's boyfriend was abusive and overly possessive of her.
Nosipho Bhengu was giving evidence in the murder trial of Zolile Khumalo, who was shot at her room at Lonsdale students residence in the Durban city center on May 1.
Her ex-boyfriend, Thabani Mzolo was arrested at the scene with the firearm he allegedly carried to the room in a blue bag.
Bhengu and another student Simiso Buthelezi were in the room and have both testified to have witnessed Mzolo shooting Khumalo in cold blood.
Bhengu told the court, the relationship had ended and the two were no longer a couple at the time of the incident.
"Two days before the incident, Zo sent me a, message, telling me that they had broken up, so I can say that they had broken up," she said, adding that it was not the first break up.
She said in 2017 the couple broke up and got back together towards the end of the year. There were also incidents when she came back with bruises on the neck, Bhengu said, saying that Khumalo had told her that Mzolo had strangled her.
She said sometime between February and April Khumalo told her that Mzolo was abusive and overly possessive.
"She told me that he did not want her to end the relationship. She told me that he said if she did, he would kill her... She told me these things because we were close, in fact she had told me a lot of things," Bhengu said.
On the day of the incident, she was in the room when Mzolo allegedly gunned down Khumalo.
"Zo was sitting on her study table. I was sitting on the bed. Thabani pulled out a firearm from a blue bag and cocked it. He then said to Zo, why ungijwayela kabi (why are you taking me for granted). Zo then asked, what has she done," recalled Bhengu.
Moments later Khumalo died on a pool of her own blood from a gunshot.