Johannesburg - The woman accused of stabbing to death hip hop artist Nkululeko ‘Flabba’ Habedi had tried to help resuscitate him and had begged him to live as he lay dying on the floor of his bedroom, the Johannesburg High Court, sitting in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court heard on Tuesday.
Murder accused Sindisiwe (Sindi) Manqele, dressed in a black jacket and an orange dress, is on trial for the March murder of the music star.
Habedi, a member of hip-hop group Skwatta Kamp, was stabbed to death at his home on March 9, allegedly by Manqele. Police said they were called to Habedi’s Alexandra home at 4am, where the 38-year-old musician was killed.
Thapelo Sello, who lived with Habedi and was present in the Alexandra house on the night when the musician was stabbed, was on the stand and testified that a remorseful Manqele was trying to help save Habedi by applying CPR and was asking for him to live.
“I also then tried to perform CPR on the deceased because I could see the accused was not performing it properly as she was crying heavily,” Sello told the court.
Sello said that when the police and Habedi’s wife, Mpho Habedi, arrived at the scene, Manqele started swearing at her.
“She was saying they (the Habedis) going through a divorce so she doesn’t understand why she is there.”
Sello said Manqele started acting as if she was possessed by demons and that was when the police placed her in their van.
State prosecutor Paul Schutter asked Sello what made him think the accused behaved like she was possessed.
“She was first very remorseful, then she suddenly was uncontrollable, raising her voice and swearing,” he replied.
Norman Makhubela, for Manqele, said this was the first time that Sello was revealing these details.
“Yes, you are correct but it is my first time in court, it just happened that I didn’t mention these things because I had said so much but I remembered these parts,” Sello replied.
Sello said he did not know if the details were important but he personally felt that it was important for him to say them in court.
Makhubela pointed out that what Sello was saying in court had not been in the statement he made to police following Habedi’s death. .
“We were in shock, a person had just passed away!” Sello countered.
Sello said that those present in the house had all been in shock and had forgotten certain details.
However, Makhubela argued that Sello was the only one who saw Manqele behaving in this manner and questioned why previous witnesses who had been present had not mentioned these details.
“I won’t talk for the other people, they saw what they saw and I saw what I have with own eyes.”
Sello continued and said he remembered Manqele telling Mpho Habedi: “Why are you here, you are not the f**** ng wife.”
Makhubela then asked if Sello had spoken to the other two witnesses regarding what had happened that evening.
“No,” Sello said.
Makhubela then stated that part of Manqele’s evidence would show that as soon as Habedi heard the door to the bedroom open he rushed to the bedroom and roughly pushed the door open, which resulted in Manqele falling to the floor.
“If she fell so hard why wouldn’t she have screamed like she did after she had stabbed him,” Sello countered.
Makhubela said Manqele’s evidence would state that she was tossed around the bedroom.
Sello replied that he did not hear that happening but remembered that he heard the couple arguing.
The case continues on Wednesday.
ANA