State concludes case against Najwa Petersen

Najwa Petersen is accused of killing her husband in December 2006

The State has closed its case in the murder trial of Najwa Petersen and three of her co-accused. The last witness took the stand this morning at the Cape High Court.

Crime mapping expert, Peter Schmitz, told the court of numerous phone calls made between Najwa Petersen and state witness Faheem Hendricks. Hendricks is the man she allegedly hired to kill her husband, Taliep Petersen. Schmitz told the court that on the night of the murder the widow had contacted Hendricks four times before Petersen was killed.

The State alleges that the widow contacted Hendricks, who has now turned State witness, to find men to kill her husband. He then allegedly contacted accused number two, Abdoer Raasiet Emjedi. He, in turn, recruited accused number three, Waheed Hassen and accused number four, Jefferson Snyders.

The matter has been postponed until next Tuesday for the defence to prepare its case.