The hit that shocked Polokwane: Summary of evidence against husband allegedly behind the double murder
MAKOENA Mabusela-Leshabane set for a business trip from Gauteng to Polokwane in Limpopo on 9 October 2020, oblivious of a plan against her life.
Mabusela-Leshabane (46) drove together with her business partner, Tebogo Mphuti (35), and had a night rest at a lodge in Polokwane as they prepare to view a property that was on sale in the Magna Via industrial area.
They were both shot dead at that industrial area.
The husband, Stanley Leshabane (57), and four “hitmen” now remain in custody as they await the verdict to be delivered in the Polokwane High Court next month. They have been in custody since their arrest in 2020.
Evidence led in court revealed a spine chilling plan on why and how Leshabane allegedly wanted his wife dead.
Leshabane, whose businesses were crumbling and he was suffering from heart disease, admitted to police investigators after his arrest that he had marital problems with his wife and was suspicious that she was having an extra-marital affair with a “certain man”. At one stage, he reported her kidnapped by the man, but later proved false.
The court further heard that he fitted a tracker on his wife’s car before he allegedly went about to recruit hitmen in Gauteng.
On the day of the hit, 10 October 2020, four men – Ndondo Buthelezi (25), Richard Zulu (30, Bhekimuzi Phiyose (34) and Thembelani Dlamini (30) – set off from Katlehong in Gauteng at about 3am and arrived in Polokwane just after 7am.
The vehicle used belonged to Zulu and it was registered as a metered taxi with Uber, and also fitted with a tracker. The vehicle stopped three times around Katlehong apparently to pick up the other three alleged hitmen.
In Polokwane, the vehicle came to a standstill for a long time outside the lodge where the wife and her business partner took a rest for the night. They were later followed and shot dead at the industrial area.
The first to be arrested two months later was Zulu who took police investigators to the other accused. The husband, Leshabane, was the last to be arrested.
Zulu later died after a short illness in custody just before the start of the trial.
An analysis of the downloaded cellphone data and itemised billing presented in court showed that the accused and their motor vehicle activated the same towers and same location at the same time from Gauteng to Polokwane.
On their way back to Gauteng after the hit, the four men had a tyre puncture near Pienaarsriver and one of them called Leshabane on the cellphone.
Leshabane took a stand in court and denied any involvement in the murder of his wife and her business partner. He also denied any knowledge of the alleged hitmen.
He also told the court he could not remember how he was arrested, but recalled requesting police investigators for water to take his sleeping tablets.
During the bail application, Leshabane was described by psychologist, Dr Precious Sedumeli, as “suicidal” and “a man who wants to remove himself from unbearable situations”.
The verdict is to be passed in the Polokwane High Court on 26 July 2024.
