Ntuthuko Shoba claims life been threatened, wants court to halt transfer to Joburg prison
The alleged mastermind behind Tshegofatso Pule's murder has asked the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court to stop his transfer to the Johannesburg prison.
Ntuthuko Shoba wants to be kept at the Krugersdorp prison while he waits for his trial to be completed.
Shoba, who has been denied bail twice, told the court on Tuesday that he fears for his life.
Pule's dead body was found hanging on a tree in Durban deep in July 2020.
She was pregnant at the time and it's alleged Shoba, who was her boyfriend, arranged for her to be killed to keep her pregnancy from his wife.
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His lawyer Shaddy Sithole said Shoba's life has been threatened, allegedly by Muzikayise Malepane, who is serving 20 years in Johannesburg Prison for carrying out Pule's murder.
"We have been in possession of some WhatsApp messages that are allegedly coming from Muzikayise Malepane who pleaded guilty in this case, we say allegedly your worship because up to this point we believe that it comes from him, the messages also relate to him. Your worship these messages are threatening to Mr Shoba," Sithole told the court.
"The messages are saying he is waiting for Mr Shoba to come to the Johannesburg Prison. A such your worship we believe that it will not be in the interest of justice in case those threats are carried out and in case they are really from Mr Malepane. We are aware that they would be in different parts of the Johannesburg prison because Mr Malepane has been sentenced, but in the interest of justice we see it fit he be at the Krugersdorp prison," said Sithole
The application has been postponed to May 25, while Shoba's trial will start on May 28.
