THE judgment in the alleged conspiracy to murder the former mayor of Mtubatuba was on Friday postponed to 8 March.
Judgment was set for 1 March by Magistrate Zungu, however, she was ‘indisposed’ and the defence attorney was also unavailable.
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The accused, Zakhele Thokozani Dlamini, who has pleaded not guilty to a count of conspiracy to commit murder and one of corruption, made a brief appearance in the Mtubatuba Regional Court, where it was heard that both Zungu and the defence attorney, Advocate Mthiyane, had agreed on the date.
Dlamini faces the corruption count after he allegedly offered the State’s sole witness, Nhlanhla Maseko, who is also a former accused, money to give false testimony in court.
The former third accused in the matter, Zakhele Nelson Khanyile, was fatally gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Macekane on 1 February 2023.
Dlamini, a self-described tenderprenuer who was arrested on 9 November 2021 for allegedly conspiring with others during September of that year to murder former Mtubatuba mayor Thobelani Verus Ngcamphalala, who is currently the ANC’s Nokuhamba Nyawo Region secretary, was denied bail and has been an awaiting-trial prisoner at Qalakabusha Correctional Centre in Empangeni.
Dlamini’s family has said they are of the view that the case is politically motivated.
After the postponement, the ANC’s Nokuhamba Nyawo Region chairperson, Siphile Mdaka reserved comment, saying he did not want to pre-empt the judgment.
Mdaka said the party wants the law to take its course, and expressed his confidence in the judicial system.
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