MOHAMMED Mwela, who stands accused of attempted murder and the murder of a fellow school learner, appeared in Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on January 7 and 8.
On June 3, 2019, the 20-year-old allegedly stabbed Daniel Bakwela to death and stabbed another two of his schoolmates leaving them wounded.
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Mwela’s attorney, Dumisani Mabunda, addressed the court describing what happened and stated that in later stages of the trial, the accused will also testify.
Mabunda said, on May 29, 2019, Bakwela and one of his friends came across Mwela and told him to stop being a ‘bitch nigger’ and ‘he has a big mouth’.
He told the court Mwela shied away from them, but on May 30, 2019, Bakwela and friends came to Mwela’s house and called him outside, pretending to be his girlfriend.
He continued to say when he came outside he saw Bakwela and his friends so he chased after them with his pit bull.
Mabunda also said that on June 3, Mwela was writing an exam and being terrified of Bakwela and friends, he took his dog with him to school.
“While standing outside the school with his two friends next to a meter box, Bakwela and friends threw a brick at Mwela, but fortunately he wasn’t harmed.
“They then started attacking Mwela. Bakwela had a knife in his hand and everything happened so fast. The accused picked up the brick they threw at him and threw it at Bakwela and struck him. The knife fell. Mwela picked the knife up.
“At that stage, Bakwela decided to retaliate. As he was fighting back another person next to him was approaching Mwela with bottles,” said Mabunda.
Mabunda further states Mwela was hit with a sjambok by one of Bakwela’s friends and he stabbed that person as well before stabbing Bakwela to death.
He then fled away to Soweto where the police found and arrested him.
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First witness
With the witnesses being under age the cross-examination was done via video system.
Mabunda asked the witness to state what had happened.
The witness told the court that on June 3, last year, when they were going to school, Mwela came after them.
“We ran away to our friend’s house. Mwela and friends chased us and threw stones at the house we were hiding at,’’ said the witness.
The witness told the court that when they were chased it was around 7am, but they went back to school at around 11am.
“We went back to school to submit assignments and as we approached the school, Mwela came after us and stabbed me, my friend and Bakwela,’ said the witness.
Mabunda asked if the witness knew why Mwela would attack them. The witness said he doesn’t know.
Second witness
The other witness corroborated with the story of the first witness that Mwela attacked them first.
Mabunda asked why they went to his house on May 30 if they wanted to avoid trouble. The witness said they wanted to ask why he (Mwela) wanted to fight them.
Mabunda questioned the witness saying why didn’t they report the matter to the school or to their parents.
The witness said they thought they would handle it among themselves.
Mwela’s attorney also asked what may have incited the fight to which the witness answered that he thinks it was because he and his friends used to chat with Mwela’s girlfriend.
He asked him again whether Mwela attacked them first on June 3, and the witness said ‘yes’.
Mabunda dropped a bombshell as he read a statement the witness gave to the police.
In the statement, the witness said they attacked Mwela first on June 3, contradicting himself with what he was saying in court.
The witness’ defence to that matter was that he didn’t write the statement. It was written by the police.
The case is postponed to March 13, for other witnesses, a doctor and teacher to be brought in.
Mwela remains out on bail.
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