JOHANNESBURG - Sergeant Banele Ndlovu testified during the bail application of Ernest Mabaso and Fita Khupe that the two Vlakfontein murder accused were communicating telephonically during the killings of Khoza family.
Khupe’s representative Gerhard Landman told the Protea Magistrate's Court on Thursday that his client was not there when his co-accused Mabaso killed the seven members of the Khoza family.
“When Khupe arrived in Zimbabwe the first call he made was calling Mabaso and we have their telephonic records,” Ndlovu said during testimony.
Ndlovu also revealed that Mabaso had said Khupe told him that he wanted the Khoza house to belong to him.
Landman disputed this, arguing that Khupe could not inherit the house because he was not related to the Khozas.
Mabaso in an affidavit read on Wednesday described how the members of the Khoza family were killed. He alleged that Khupe gave him a hammer, instructing him to strike each victim on the head twice.
But Khupe denied in his statement that he had sent Mabaso, He said he was not even in the country at the time.
Mabaso, 27, and Khupe, 61, are charged with murder and theft. Mabaso faces additional charges of rape and robbery.
Ndlovu testified that Mabaso would be a danger to society if he was granted bail and asked for him to remain in police custody.
Previously, Mabaso asked the court if he could be moved from the Johannesburg Central police station’s holding cells because he had been receiving threats from his co-accused who is being held at the Johannesburg Correctional Facility, also known as Sun City.
Mabaso was moved to Krugersdorp Prison.
Mabaso also claimed that the killings were a revenge attack on the Khozas by Khupe.