Johannesburg – The woman accused of murdering Nkululeko ‘Flabba’ Habedi took the stand in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court and testified that she had a good relationship with the hip hop artist she stabbed to death in their bedroom in March.
“After our quarrel in January, I had been staying at his place since February,” Sindi Manqele said.
Manqele, dressed in a black dress and a pink jersey, told the court that on March 8, 2015, she and Habedi were meant to visit his mother but in the end went to a party instead.
“Nkuli told me that Shugga Smax was having a party at The Sands,” Manqele said.
She said she had known Habedi, a member of the groups Skwatta Camp, since 2006. She left for Ireland in 2009 to do her honours degree in Business Studies. At the time of Habedi’s death, she had been due to return to Ireland.
Manqele has pleaded not guilty and instead claimed she was defending herself from her violent lover when she stabbed him on March 9.
On Monday, Sindisiwe Manqele’s lawyer said her rights were infringed because she made her statement to police without having a legal representative present.
But investigating officer Seile Shadrick Malaka said Manqele had told him she would only need legal assistance in court.
Manqele’s lawyer Norman Makhubela said she must have felt pressured to make a statement at that moment because she marked on the document that she needed legal assistance. Malaka said there was a mistake on the document and he had corrected it.
Makhubela has told the court that Manqele’s evidence would show that she walked with a limp because she had been pushed by Habedi.
On Tuesday, the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) issued a statement referring to the case, in which they said society should be rid of all forms of abuse.
The league sent condolences to Habedi’s family.
ANA