Durban — It would be clear on Thursday when judgment would be in the murder case against a Pinetown nurse alleged to have hired her brother and a hitman to kidnap and kill her husband.
Nkosi Timmy Langa’s wife Nomphumelelo Patricia Goncalves and her brother Nkosinathi Steve Zungu have been on trial for his 2020 murder since May 2022.
On September 29, 2020, Langa was allegedly forced into his Isuzu X-Rider at his home near Hampshire Place in Pinetown and taken to a forest in Ozwathini by Zungu and James Mashudu “Ramaphosa” Mthimkhulu who is a state witness and is already serving time for his part in the crime.
Goncalves who is a nurse is alleged to hired her brother and Mthimkhulu.
Langa’s body was found sometime in November after a pointing out by Mthimkhulu, this was after police investigations led to the recovery of Langa’s car.
An ID book found in Langa’s car led police to the man who had taken it from Mthimkhulu and Zungu.
On Thursday (today) Acting Judge Bonke Dumisa in the Durban High Court will be hearing arguments on the merits of the case from the State and defence.
The trial has been marred with delays especially last year where in the midst of it in June when Mthimkhulu had already testified, Goncalves did not pitch to court when she had been there the previous day and instead a doctor’s note was sent on her behalf.
It was believed that she had tried to end her life and her defence told the court that subsequent to her diagnosis she was referred to a psychiatric hospital for treatment, and she was admitted into a Psychiatric hospital in Howick.
In July last year, Zungu indicated that he wanted to change lawyers which saw the trial further delayed.
During the trial the court heard from an expert how the nurse could have possibly used a jamming device on her car tracker the day after her husband’s murder to conceal her movements.
The nurse and her brother are on trial for the murder and robbery, Goncalves faces two more charges of defeating the course of justice for allegedly falsely reporting her husband missing and the theft of his car.
Last year when the trial wrapped up, January 18 and 19 were set for arguments to be heard and it was agreed that 10 days before this date the State and the defence would get their written arguments to Dumisa.
April 2 and 4 were reserved for possible judgment however, a date will be finalised Thursday (today).
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