Child, 11, testifies at his aunt’s murder trial
THE Durban High Court has heard how Sibusiso Bongekhaya Mvubu, after allegedly leaving his wife lying dead in a pool of blood and locked inside their home, sped off in his car, saying he would be back shortly.
An 11-year-old nephew, who lived with the couple, testified on Tuesday that Mvubu drove off “like he was running away”.
Mvubu is on trial for the murder of his wife, Philisiwe Mvubu. The State’s evidence is that she sustained at least eight stab wounds, while in his version, Mvubu said he stabbed his wife once on the neck and she was accidentally stabbed when she fell on the knife he was carrying.
Before the alleged murder on July 1 last year, police had accompanied Philisiwe to her home to hand a protection order to her husband, as he had allegedly wanted to pour boiling water on her.
Yesterday the boy told the court that he saw his aunt’s husband speeding off when he came back from the shop where Mvubu had sent him.
He said he had left the couple in the house shouting at each other and had gone the first time to buy bread, and a second time to buy cold drink, adding that both times it had been Mvubu who sent him.
The boy, who testified via a CCTV system instead of in the courtroom, said after seeing Mvubu speed off, he noticed blood droplets as well as his aunt’s shoes in the yard.
“I entered the veranda and peeped inside the house through the glass on the door, I saw blood on the floor and went to call the neighbour.”
The child was put through a small bedroom window by neighbours, to open the kitchen door from the inside.
On entering, the boy said he saw blood in the bedrooms and in the dining room as he walked to the kitchen to open for neighbours.
“I walked back into the house with them, they asked me where my aunt’s room was and I showed them. There was blood in the bedroom.
“When they opened the door I saw my aunt, I saw her bloodied hand. She was covered in a blanket and laying on her back.”
Previously the court had heard how Philisiwe had been sleeping at her neighbour’s house from June 14 up until she was killed, and on the day of the alleged murder, Mvubu had sent the child witness to call Philisiwe home.
The child testified that his aunt had told him that the reason she was no longer living at their home, and came only to cook, was that Mvubu was stealing from her.
“He was stealing her money and other items,” he said.
The trial continues today, with Mvubu on the stand. This, after the State wrapped up its case yesterday.