Stanley Leshabane and his three co-accused have been found guilty on two counts of murder at the Limpopo High Court in Polokwane. Leshabane hired four men to shoot and kill his estranged wife Makoena Mabusela-Leshabane and her business partner, Tebogo Mphuti in Polokwane in 2020.
Judge Gerrit Muller found that the four hitmen followed Mabusela-Leshabane and Mphuti from Gauteng to Polokwane where they were killed. Judge Muller ruled that the evidence against Leshabane, Bheki Phiyose, Thembelani Dlamini, Ndondo Buthelezi and Richard John Zulu proved their guilt.
Zulu has since passed away while in custody. Reading the lengthy judgment, Muller recounted various testimonies presented to the court by 22 witnesses throughout the marathon trial. He strongly dismissed Lebashanes claims that he was under mental stress when he wrote a confession statement that was presented to the court as evidence against him.
Muller also dismissed claims that Leshabane fell into a trance after overdosing on depression medication as a desperate fabrication of lies. He added that Leshabane knew the hitmen would also kill Mphuti as she was travelling with his wife.
"Mr Leshabane knew that Tebogo Mphuti would be traveling with his wife Makoena. He should have known and considered that Tebogo Mphuti would also be killed," said Muller.
