Court told how pal’s pregnant girlfriend died

THE man who killed and hanged eight months pregnant Tshegofatso Pule has detailed a gory tale of how her boyfriend allegedly contracted him to take her out.

Muzikayise Malephane, who became a State witness after entering into a plea bargain, took to the box at the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg yesterday to testify against Ntuthuko Shoba.

Shoba, who dated and impregnated Pule, stands accused of being the mastermind behind the heartless killing of Pule. He faces charges of murder and defeating the ends of justice.

The State’s case is that the 28-yearold Sowetan was killed on June 4, 2020, the day she went to Shoba’s home in Florida, south of Joburg.

Palesa Senokoane, Pule’s cousin, testified that she spoke to her by phone just before 9am that fateful day.

The cousins, who stayed together in Meadowlands, were never to speak again, as Senokoane’s attempts to reach Pule over the next two days drew a blank.

“I phoned her on the 5th of June, but the phone just rang. I phoned her on the 6th again. It rang, but on the third attempt it was switched off,” Senokoane testified.

She then decided to go to the Florida police station to open a missing person case. Shoba joined her.

Shoba told police he had last seen Pule when she had climbed into a Jeep vehicle, Senokoane said.

She revealed that Shoba had earlier told her that Pule called the driver of the Jeep to pick her up because she was upset that his other girlfriend kept calling him.

Senokoane subsequently learnt that Shoba tipped police that video footage from his complex could show how Pule left his complex.

This footage showed the Jeep that picked up Pule and its number plates.

The State’s case is that Shoba organised this Jeep for Pule under the pretext that it was an Uber to take her home.

The Jeep was driven by none other than Malephane, Shoba’s high school friend and former boozing buddy.

Malephane divulged this as part of his confession. He was sentenced to 20 years in jail after the plea bargain.

He testified yesterday that Shoba called him out of the blue some time in 2020, and subsequently contracted him to kill Pule.

The trial continues.