Mpumalanga High Court postpones alleged wife killer’s trial again

Murder-accused Mugiyo Ulrich Mabunda’s case was briefly heard at the Mpumalanga High Court on Tuesday November 2.

Last month Mabunda pleaded guilty to shooting and killing his wife, Tebogo, outside their house in Stonehenge in May last year.

The case was postponed to November 11.

The provincial NPA spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, said, “The postponement follows after the defence made an application for a special entry in terms of Section 317 of Act 51 of 1977. In that application the defence felt that the accused is not receiving a fair trial.”

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This follows after Ulrich did not show up for court on October 11. His family presented the acting judge, Cassim Moosa, with a medical certificate that day. Moosa postponed the trial to October 13. He said if the accused failed to appear on that set date, a warrant of arrest would be issued and his bail would be revoked.

On October 13, the court ordered the investigating officer to take the accused to Rob Ferreira Hospital to have him examined and to return with a medical report.

Nyuswa said, “The continuation of the trial will be determined by the outcome of the application.”

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A family representative of the deceased, Hendrick Matsane, said, “As the family we do not understand why the case has to be delayed since Ulrich has already pleaded guilty. The court just needs to sentence him for his crime. We feel these are delay tactics from his lawyers, although at the end of it all he will pay for his crime because he has already pleaded guilty.”

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