Second accused in Bozwana murder blames Khekhe

A second accused in the Wandile Bozwana murder case has implicated feared taxi boss Vusi "Khekhe" Mathibela, saying he wanted the Northern Cape-born businessman dead.

The lawyer has been tasked with getting the association – which was once allegedly run by feared jailed taxi boss Vusi "Khekhe" Mathibela – ready for free and fair elections of its new executive.
The lawyer has been tasked with getting the association – which was once allegedly run by feared jailed taxi boss Vusi "Khekhe" Mathibela – ready for free and fair elections of its new executive. (Thulani Mbele)

A second accused in the Wandile Bozwana murder case has implicated feared taxi boss Vusi "Khekhe" Mathibela, saying he wanted the Northern Cape-born businessman dead because "he was standing in his way to tenders".

In a confession statement admitted as evidence in the high court in Pretoria, Matamela Robert Mutapa said Mathibela promised to pay him R200,000 for the hit.

Mutapa alleged Mathibela only paid R195,000 for the murder. Mutapa said he did not know who Bozwana was and that he asked Mathibela, who said "this man is standing in my way for getting tenders".

Mutapa, Sipho Patrick Hudla, Mathibela and Bonginkosi Paul Khumalo are accused of Bozwana's murder and the attempted murder of his business partner Mpho Baloyi in October 2015.

On the day of the incident, Mutapa said he was in Alexandra with Khumalo, and two other men named Senzo and Magwaza.

He said Khumalo received a call to go to Sandton where they met Mathibela at the "Mandela Square".

"We saw Vusi and he was walking towards us and he didn't recognise me but I knew him because this was the second time I met him. Vusi also knew Magwaza," Mutapa said in his statement.

"Vusi told us to find someone (Bozwana) who was standing at a line at the bank and that he was wearing a black T-shirt.

"Vusi said we must follow this person. We didn't ask any questions and I watched the person. Vusi and Magwaza stood by the side and we watched him (Bozwana)...."

Mutapa said Khumalo approached them after talking to Mathibela. "We asked him what was happening and he said the person in the queue has money."

He said Bozwana left the ATM and that they followed him to a hair salon.

Mutapa said they split and Khumalo went to the parking lot to wait for Mathibela. He said on Mathibela's arrival they met with someone who drove a silver BMW.

"Vusi told us that there is a bag in the boot with tools and I understood that tools were guns and that we were going to follow that guy with money."

He said they drove to Rivonia in a bakkie and BMW where they found Bozwana's vehicle at a McDonald's.

"Senzo entered the McDonald's to see what was happening. He came back and said Vusi gave them an instruction that he needed to be shot at McDonald's and that's when I noticed the money story didn't exist," Mutapa said.

They followed Bozwana until the Delmas/Nigel offramp on the N1 north.

"While waiting at the robot, I noticed that there was a gentleman wearing glasses and sitting in the back in the passenger seat. He was relaxed. The driver was the lady.

"Magwaza opened the back door and went straight to the back passenger door where the man was sitting and relaxing and he shot him," Mutapa said.

On Wednesday, Hudla also implicated Mathibela in the murder, saying they were paid R60,000 for the hit.

Advocate Johan Marais, who represented Hudla, cross-examined Brig Sevha Shiburi about the inconsistency contained in his client's confession against evidence given to the court.

Marais told the court that his client was given the statement to sign and that he was not privy to its contents.

Hudla alleged that he used an AK-47 to shoot at Bozwana five times, while he was seated on the passenger side of the vehicle.

"But there are six bullet hole markings on the passenger side of the door. The officer who conducted the ballistic test, W/O Kotze, wrote in his report that there were 12 spent cartridges from a 9mm pistol and not an AK-47," Marais said.

Shiburi said he could only testify on the confession he wrote after interviewing Hudla.


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