NATIONAL

The Tshegofatso Pule murder trial is expected to resume at the High Court in Johannesburg on Thursday morning. Former lover, Ntutkhuko Shoba, has been labelLed the mastermind behind Pule’s murder.

The court has heard testimony from investigating Officer Mpe Tema from the Roodepoort police station. Tema says messages retrieved from Shoba’s phone reveal that the couple had been fighting.

Tema says Shoba was called into the police station for an interview as they were initially investigating a missing person’s case.

He was not a suspect at the time.

Tema says he handed over his phone to help with investigations; however that phone had no records of conversations between him and Pule.

It’s believed Shoba did a sim swop and upon his arrest, a second handset was confiscated. It was this handset that contained WhatsApp conversations between the two.

Tema says although there were some messages of support, there were messages showing they were fighting. He is expected back on the stand for cross-examination.

In the video below, convicted killer Muzi Malepane admits to being paid R70 000 for the hit on Pule:

Source: SABC