The family of Tshegofatso Pule has expressed disappointment over the latest postponement. Sentencing procedures in the murder of 28-year-old Pule were postponed for two months at the Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday morning.
The defense requested more time, indicating that their pre-sentencing report was still incomplete.
Nthuthuko Shoba was found guilty of Pule’s murder. Shoba was implicated after hitman Mzikayise Malepane turned state witness.
Botlhale Modisane from the Tshegofatso Pule Foundation says, “Hm, shoo, it’s a huge disappointment really; because the reason given for yet another postponement is that the report is uncomplete…it’s been a whole month. What was so difficult for the report to be completed? But then I think we’ve become accustomed to these postponements; we’ve become accustomed to endless delays and you know what we’ll just take it as it comes.”
Meanwhile, the National Prosecuting Authority is seeking life imprisonment for the crime.
Plans to murder Pule
During court proceedings in January, Malepane testified that he was offered R70 000 to ensure Tshegofatso Pule was killed under the Shoba’s instructions.
Malepane testified in court that he knew Shoba from high school and that they used to party together.
He stated that they had not been in contact for some time, and that one day in 2020, Shoba contacted him, expressing a desire to meet.
Shoba, according to Malepane, asked him to find someone who could kill Pule. Malepane said he could assist and they reached an agreement.
“Initially he offered me R 7000, I said it was too little. He then offered me R20 000 and then R70 000 and they came to an agreement that amount was sufficient.”
It was the chilling evidence of how they plotted to kill Pule that led to emotions running wild in the public gallery.
“He explained that he wanted Pule to be hanged on a bridge in Maraisberg. Initially, he was going to take Pule’s phone to write a suicide note and post it on WhatsApp. In May 2020, Shoba said there was a girl that was arranging an interview for Miss Pule. The interview was set up so I can pick up Pule and take them to Shoba’s house. That was the day Pule was supposed to die. 29 May. The plan was to pick her up in the south of Johannesburg at a Mcdonald’s close to Gold Reef City. I got there and waited for a while and in the end, I decided to leave.”
Malepane owns a bakkie but said he was driving his girlfriend’s silver Jeep so that he would not attract suspicion. He told the court that a few days later, on the 4th of June 2020, Shoba came to his place of residence and told him Pule was coming to visit and she needed to die that day.
“Shoba said they must go hang Pule at Maraisburg by the bridge, and they agreed on that. Later on, I went to Maraisburg to scout that bridge. When I got to the bridge, I noticed that one could not hang a person there because it was a very busy street.”
In the video below, Nthuthuko Shoba found guilty of Pule’s murder:
-Additional reporting by Pearl Magubane
