Former policeman admits to firing ‘several shots’ at wife
MBOMBELA - The murder-accused Mugiyo Ulrich Mabunda pleaded guilty to shooting and killing his wife, Tebogo Mabunda, on Friday October 8 in the Mpumalanga High Court.
The shooting incident occurred outside their house in Stonehenge in
May last year.
His trial started on Monday October 4 and is expected to end on October
15. On Monday October 11, the matter was postponed to Wednesday October 13, as the accused was said to be ill and unable to attend the court appearance. Yesterday, the matter was again postponed to today.
On Friday, Ulrich pleaded guilty. His attorney, Adv Johann de Necker, read his statement in front of the acting judge, Cassim Moosa, in the Mpumalanga
High Court.
The statement read, “I was a police officer for eight years and had been married to my wife for 10 years. On the day of the incident, my wife received a phone call which she answered outside.
“I was surprised, as she usually takes her calls in front of me, but to me that was clear that the conversation was not meant for me to hear.
“I went outside to hear who she was talking to and she quickly dropped the call, but I had already heard that she was speaking to her boyfriend. That caused me a lot of anger. I fired several shots at my wife and tried to end my life by firing shots at myself, too. I request a minimum of 15 years be imposed on me.”
The state prosecutor, Moeng Molatudi, objected to the plea and requested that another witness be called to the stand. The trial continued and Tersia Marshall, the deceased’s attorney, took the stand.
In her statement she said on the day in question, Tebogo had been talking to her over the phone when she suddenly heard two loud sounds and the call ended.
“While talking to her, she said her husband attempted to assault her again. After the call was cut off, I tried to call her back; however, the phone rang unanswered. I also saw a message in one of the local groups that I am a member of, stating that they had heard gunshots in their neighbours’ home. I then got into my car and drove to Tebogo’s home; that is when I was told that she was shot,” Marshall said.
This witness also said Tebogo had been planning to divorce her husband.
Tebogo’s family members and friends have been picketing outside the court since the trial started. Ulrich had been released on a bail of R10 000 last year.
On Monday, Monica Nyuswa, the spokesperson for the NPA, warned that if the accused did not appear in court this week, a warrant of arrest would be issued.