A woman charged with the murder of her husband will remain in custody until her case is finalised.
Mamokgethe Gertrude Mashimbi, 41, is accused of orchestrating a hit on her husband, former policeman Thomas Mashimbi.
The State charged that Mashibi organised hitmen to eliminate her husband between January 7 and February 24 in 2018.
The State alleges she approached two men between January 7 to 24 in 2018 and incited them to commit a planned robbery at their marital home in Lebanon, near Winterveld.
“The two then failed to commit to the proposition, but reported the matter to the police,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in the North West division, Henry Mamothame.
The two are now State witnesses.
Mashimbi reportedly approached Thandi Margaret Khumalo, 38, who arranged a meeting with the other three accused, William Maluleka, 32, Nicholas Malope, 35, and Jan Chauke, 28.
Meetings were reportedly conducted in February 2018, to plot the execution of the plan to murder Thomas Mashimbi.
“On February 21, 2018, Gertrude Mashimbi allegedly ensured that the gates and kitchen door were not properly closed to facilitate entry into the premises,” Mamothame said.
He said it was further alleged that Gertrude Mashimbi went to the police on November 10 in 2017, and complained that her husband was abusing her. Thomas Mashimbi’s firearm was confiscated as a result, pending the outcome of the SA Police Service internal process to ascertain his fitness to possess a firearm.
The State argues that this was part of the plan to disarm Mashimbi to prevent him from defending himself when the attack was executed.
“It is alleged that on February 21,2018, Maluleka, Malope, and Chauke entered the house and shot at the deceased, subsequently escaping the scene with two cellphones, a TV set, and money estimated at R20 000.
“It is alleged that Gertrude and two of their children were in the house when the plan unfolded, and she was unharmed during the commissioning of the crime,” Mamothame said.
They were all arrested between September 18 and 19 in 2019.
They were charged with two counts of conspiracy or incitement to commit murder, housebreaking with intent to kill, murder with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition.
Gertrude Mashimbi faces two additional charges of fraud and perjury.
Mamothame said the State called on the investigating officer to give an account of the evidence he gathered, linking the accused to the murder.
The investigating officer is expected to continue giving evidence and put through cross-examination when the matter resumes next year in January.
The North West High Court sitting in Ga-Rankuwa postponed the case to January 16, 2024 for further trial.
“The five will remain in police custody until the matter is concluded,” he said.
Source IOL
