THIRTY-FIVE witnesses are expected to testify in the murder trial of ANC member of parliament (MP), Sibusiso Kula.
The case has finally been scheduled for a pre-trial conference on 29 January 2024 following multiple postponements since Kula’s arrest in January 2023. The case will be heard by the North West High Court sitting in Klerksdorp, North West.
The 34-year-old faces a murder charge after the police linked him to the brutal killing of his wife, Jennifer Mohlomi, whose body was found by Kula in November 2022 in their marital home in Kanana, North West.
The police initially thought the incident was a house robbery and Jennifer had a stab wound on her body, but the weapon used in the crime is still missing.
At the time, Kula told the cops that he took his wife to the local clinic, but she was declared dead on arrival. Kula’s lawyer, Gcina Dlanjwa said the case has been a roller coaster and he is relieved that things are now coming together.
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“We are going to deal with preliminary issues, witness confirmation, our intent to plead and all that sort of stuff. The state intends to produce approximately 35 witnesses and on our side, we cannot disclose as yet,” he said.
National Prosecuting Authority’s regional spokesman Henry Mamothame said the senior prosecutor, Advocate Benny Kalakgosi provided Dlanjwa with an indictment for them to prepare for pretrial where a trial date will be decided.
“Investigations have been completed and the state is ready to proceed with trial,” he said.
He said Kula was ordered to surrender his passports, report to the nearest police station twice a day, provide the investigating officer with his work itinerary, report to the investigating officer if he must move outside his residential jurisdiction and have no direct or indirect contact with his children.
His bid to have the case struck off the roll was previously rejected by the court.
Kula is still an MP and draws a salary despite submitting his letter to the ANC in April 2023, stating that he was stepping aside. Disciplinary hearings have also not started.
North West ANC spokesman Tumelo Maruping couldn't be reached for comment at the time of publishing.
