'Najwa shot and killed her husband'

Najwa Petersen stands accused of killing her husband

One of the men accused of murdering Taliep Petersen, Waheed Hassan, says he provided the firearm and committed the robbery on the night of the murder, but that Najwa Petersen shot and killed her husband.

In the 15-page handwritten confession, Hassen said on the night of the murder in December 2006, with Taliep tied up on the floor of the family home, Najwa repeatedly urged him to shoot her husband.

He said he fetched a pink cushion, folded it over the gun he had brought with him, and told her to do it herself. "I kept it with both my hands on the outside of the cus[h]ion, she was standing on my left hand side about two feet away from her own husband.

"At that time I was looking to my right ... and in a split second I felt her hand between mine, one single shot rang through my ears she screamed. I sanked so low it was like a scene from a movie, I knew I had to get away now."

Hassan apologises to Taliep’s family
During court proceedings, Hassan apologised to Taliep’s father, his children and the commumity for his role in the murder of Taliep. Hassen says before Taliep died he repeatedly chanted prayers in Arabic, and he realised this was a religious man and not the wife beater that Najwa made him out to be.

Taliep's children and many others in the packed public gallery wept while listening to the apology. Hassen even apologised to his co accused, Jefferson Synders, saying he did not know about the murder. Hassen asked the family to find it in their hearts to forgive him.

In a surprise move in the Cape High Court, Hassan, said he realised his mistake and now wanted to plead guilty. Earlier he contested the admissibility of his statement, but it was handed in as evidence in court.

Judge Siraj Desai adjourned the trial to Thursday to allow Hassen's advocate to consult with his client on formal admissions in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act. – Additional reporting by Sapa