MAkakalane' gets bail in wife's murder case
MBABANE – “We got into an argument because she used derogatory words and she called me a fool. She told me I was too poor to maintain her new lifestyle.”
These were some of the submissions made by popular referee Lucky ‘ Makalakalane’ Ndlangamandla when motivating his bail application. The referee was arrested on January 18, 2023 after purportedly stabbing his wife with a sharp object all over the body at Logoba in Manzini. In his bail application, Ndlangamandla depicted a picture of someone who acted in self- defence.
He vehemently denied to have intentionally killed his wife Gabisile Nsibandze. “I am innocent of the charges against me, in that I never intentionally and unlawfully kil l ed t he deceased. During my trial, I will plead not guilty to the charge,” submitted the accused.
The referee narrated to the court that he was married to his wife through Swazi Law and Custom and Nsibandze had previously deserted him for a period of two months in October and November 2022. According to the ‘ middleman’, his wife claimed that she had got a job in the Republic of South Africa ( SA) and that she intended to go back but she was very sick.
The wife, as per t he accused, al s o informed him that in SA, she was also getting treatment from a prophet who was cleansing her. “Upon her return in December 2022 she contacted me and asked that we spend Christmas at her home, but I was told by her mother that I could not sleep over as I would take up space since there were many visitors there,” alleged the accused.
He related to the court that the following day, his wife avoided answering his calls and later switched off her phone.
Alcohol
Ndlangamandla al l eged t hat when he finally got hold of her through her sister ’s phone, she ( wife) allegedly told him that she was no longer interested in being his spouse. “This hurt me a lot and I could hardly sleep or eat, I started to abuse alcohol in a bid to fall asleep. On January 18, 2023, I was called in the early hours of the morning by my landlord at Logoba, who informed me that my wife was at my doorstep. I had not spent the night in my one- room flat as I had been drinking and I slept over at my friend’s place,” averred the accused.
Ndlangamandla continued to tell the court t hat he rushed t o his flat as he was excited that his wife was there and because it was an opportunity for them to fix their marital problems.
He said when he arrived; they went inside the house and talked. “She told me how she had taken time to think and had decided to end things between us. She further informed me that she had come to collect her belongings from me. She stated that she could not forgive me for past infidelities that happened before we got married,” contended Ndlangamandla.
The accused further related to the court that they got into an argument because Nsibandze allegedly used derogatory language and called him a fool and that he was poor to maintain her new lifestyle. “She started to push me around and slapped me, telling me how weak a man I was, I pushed her back and she fell onto some cutlery in the kitchen area,” alleged the accused.
He claimed that his wife then grabbed a knife and attempted to stab him but he shielded himself with his arms. Ndlangamandla said his hand was stabbed and a scuffle ensued. He said he got hold of the knife and he stabbed her in rage. “I thereafter called the deceased’s sister and told her what had happened.
Neighbours
“I asked t he neighbours t o cal l an ambulance so that my wife could get medical attention. I then changed my clothes and boarded a kombi to Matsapha Police Station where I surrendered myself.” He brought it to the attention of the court that at the time, he never thought that his wife had died but he learnt of her demise from the police.
He said the following day he recorded a confession at the Manzini Magistrates Court. “I submit that I never had any intention to kill the deceased and our misunderstanding onl y c a me a bout because she attacked me in the house and she said a lot of things which made me angry. I was only trying to defend
myself,” he argued.
He implored the court to admit him to bail as there was no likelihood that if released from custody, he would abscond trial. Ndlangamandla argued that this was buttressed by the fact that he surrendered himself to the police even before the demise of his wife.
Children
“I am employed at Kasami Tex Ray in Mat sap ha as a labour er and my continued incarceration is prejudicial to me as I stand to lose my job and my only source of income.” It was further his contention that he had three children who were all school- going and they depended on him for support and maintenance.
He submitted that at the time of his arrest, he called his colleague who applied for a month’s leave on his behalf and that month was almost over. He undertook that in the event he was released on bail, he was not going to interfere or attempt to influence Crown witnesses particularly because they were unknown to him.
Nd lang am and law as admitted to E15 000 bail by Judge Nkosinathi Maseko yesterday. The accused was ordered to pay E3 000 cash and provide surety for the remaining amount. He was represented by Noncedo Ndlangamandla.