STEEN Mashakeng, one of the accused in the insurance payout murder case, has dumped his lawyer.
Mashakeng is on trial in the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Mbombela, along with Nonhlanhla (32) and Bathabile Mthunywa (41) and Ntombizodwa Ndwandwa (43).
They are charged with rape, conspiracy to commit murder, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, as well as defeating the ends of justice.
It’s alleged that Nonhlanhla, Bathabile’s sister, invited their mum Wanter Dlamini (62) to her house in January 2020, where she was allegedly kidnapped by Ndwandwa, Mashakeng and Moses Mosemba (41).
The sisters allegedly wanted to claim an insurance policy worth R80 000 taken out in their mum’s name in 2019.
It’s alleged that the victim was assaulted and gang raped by Mashakeng and Mosemba, who has since died, while Nonhlanhla and Ndwandwa held her down. After the murder, they allegedly wrapped her body and hid it in an outside toilet.
It’s alleged that Bathabile organised transport to move the body, which was later found dumped in the bushes.
Mashakeng told Judge Henk Roelofse that his lawyer wanted him to plead guilty, but he did not want to.
“I deny all the charges. I have explained that to her and she doesn’t want to accept that,” he said.
Roelofse said Mashakeng, who is being represented by a Legal Aid lawyer, needed to put in a new application for another lawyer.
The sisters and Ndwandwa are out on bail of R2 500 each, while Mashakeng is still in jail.
The matter was postponed to 23 January to make arrangements for a new lawyer.
