Stanley Leshabane, is accused of hiring hitmen to murder his estranged wife, Makoena Mabusela-Leshabane.
By Moyahabo Mabeba
The high profile marathon trial of a Limpopo businessman who allegedly orchestrated the murder of his estranged wife is now at its pinnacle after judgement day has been announced.
Stanley Leshabane, who is accused of hiring hitmen to murder his estranged wife, Makoena Mabusela-Leshabane will know his fate on July 26 when Judge Geriet Muller delivers the judgment in the Limpopo High Court sitting in Polokwane.
During the incident that happened on 10 October 2020 in the Polokwane industrial site, Mabusela-Leshabane’s friend, Tebogo Mphuti was caught in the crossfire when the assailants sprayed them with a hail of bullets, killing them instantly.
Despite compelling evidence against him, Leshabane denies any involvement in his wife’s murder.
He said even though they had marital problems, he never felt the urge to end his wife’s life.
The distraught family says it wants to see the case being concluded so that they could carry on with their lives.
The trial has been plagued by several postponements due to various reasons, including changes in legal representation and delays surrounding Leshabane’s mental fitness assessment.
Leshabane’s step son, Ketetsi Leshabane revealed that there were marital problems that forced him to move out of their Midrand house.
“There were talks of divorce but one thing for sure is that my father was not abusive. He was usually calm but what triggered him to act in such a cruel manner is still a mystery. He killed my mother and now I’m left with the responsibility of raising my two teenage siblings, my younger brother and sister who are 15 and 13 respectively.
Though I am employed, the responsibility of a parenthood was the least I expected at this juncture” said the 29-year-old Ketetsi.
During cross-examination this week, it emerged that Leshabane hired Ndondo Buthelezi, John Zulu, Bhekumuzi Phiyose, and Thembelani Dlamini to execute the killing. Zulu died while in custody in 2023.
The accused are facing charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
When he took to the stand this week, Leshabane inadvertently implicated himself to the crime.
He admitted that the signature attached on a confirmation statement, in which he admitted to hiring hitmen to kill his wife, was his.
The statement contains bloodcurdling details on how Mabusela-Leshabane and Mphuti’s mafia-style executions were premeditated.
Although Leshabane acknowledged the signature attached to the statement is his, he insists he does not remember admitting to killing his wife.
In the statement, Leshabane confirmed to have confided in a friend that he wants to have his wife killed and the friend allegedly told him that he knew a guy who could hook him up with contacts of hitmen.
The statement further states that Leshabane allegedly received those contacts and hired two hitmen and gave them his wife’s picture, car registration number and the location where she was booked whilst in Polokwane for a business trip.
The statement further confirmed that Leshabane paid the hitmen R5 000 to follow his wife to Polokwane and further promised to pay them R60 000 once the job was completed.
However, on Wednesday a visibly nervous Leshabane told the court that he does not recall making the statement because he was not in a sound state of mind at the time of his detention.
He told the court he couldn’t have furnished the hit men with his wife’s whereabouts as he did not know exactly where she would be sleeping on the night before her death.
Leshabane told Judge Geriet that: “One could have stated that my wife would sleep at Ga-Sebotsi instead of what is stated here. But I don’t really recall where that came from, my Lord. At the time of the statement, I was not in a good state having lost my wife and the stress I went through having been hospitalised and unknowingly thrown into jail.”
Accused number two, Ndondo Buthelezi, who is believed to have pulled the trigger, also testified.
The 29-year-old Buthelezi told the court he was sleeping at his home in Katlehong, Gauteng on the day of the murders.
“I used to work at night and came home the following morning. From around 7am, I went straight to bed and woke in the afternoon around 2pm” he said the taxi rank marshal.
“Accused number four, Thembelani Dlamini, also profusely denied the charges laid against him.
The 34-year-old taxi driver said he never set foot in Polokwane on the day of the double murders.
He said “The first time I was here was when I got arrested and brought to Polokwane to appear in court.”
The National Prosecuting Authority in the province says it has a strong case to that could result in a lengthy conviction.
NPS spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi-Dzangi said “The trial rested largely on the evidence contained in the cellphone communication between the accused, car tracking systems and possession of illegal firearms. The NPA has a strong and we are looking at a long jail term.”
ment day has been announced.
Stanley Leshabane, who is accused of hiring hitmen to murder his estranged wife, Makoena Mabusela-Leshabane will know his fate on July 26 when Judge Geriet Muller delivers the judgment in the Limpopo High Court sitting in Polokwane.
During the incident that happened on 10 October 2020 in the Polokwane industrial site, Mabusela-Leshabane’s friend, Tebogo Mphuti was caught in the crossfire when the assailants sprayed them with a hail of bullets, killing them instantly.
Despite compelling evidence against him, Leshabane denies any involvement in his wife’s murder.
He said even though they had marital problems, he never felt the urge to end his wife’s life.
The distraught family says it wants to see the case being concluded so that they could carry on with their lives.
The trial has been plagued by several postponements due to various reasons, including changes in legal representation and delays surrounding Leshabane’s mental fitness assessment.
Leshabane’s step son, Ketetsi Leshabane revealed that there were marital problems that forced him to move out of their Midrand house.
“There were talks of divorce but one thing for sure is that my father was not abusive. He was usually calm but what triggered him to act in such a cruel manner is still a mystery. He killed my mother and now I’m left with the responsibility of raising my two teenage siblings, my younger brother and sister who are 15 and 13 respectively. Though I am employed, the responsibility of a parenthood was the least I expected at this juncture” said the 29-year-old Ketetsi.
During cross-examination this week, it emerged that Leshabane hired Ndondo Buthelezi, John Zulu, Bhekumuzi Phiyose, and Thembelani Dlamini to execute the killing.
Zulu died while in custody in 2023.
The accused are facing charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
When he took to the stand this week, Leshabane inadvertently implicated himself to the crime.
He admitted that the signature attached on a confirmation statement, in which he admitted to hiring hitmen to kill his wife, was his.
The statement contains bloodcurdling details on how Mabusela-Leshabane and Mphuti’s mafia-style executions were premeditated.
Although Leshabane acknowledged the signature attached to the statement is his, he insists he does not remember admitting to killing his wife.
In the statement, Leshabane confirmed to have confided in a friend that he wants to have his wife killed and the friend allegedly told him that he knew a guy who could hook him up with contacts of hitmen.
The statement further states that Leshabane allegedly received those contacts and hired two hitmen and gave them his wife’s picture, car registration number and the location where she was booked whilst in Polokwane for a business trip.
The statement further confirmed that Leshabane paid the hitmen R5 000 to follow his wife to Polokwane and further promised to pay them R60 000 once the job was completed.
However, on Wednesday a visibly nervous Leshabane told the court that he does not recall making the statement because he was not in a sound state of mind at the time of his detention.
He told the court he couldn’t have furnished the hit men with his wife’s whereabouts as he did not know exactly where she would be sleeping on the night before her death.
Leshabane told Judge Geriet that: “One could have stated that my wife would sleep at Ga-Sebotsi instead of what is stated here. But I don’t really recall where that came from, my Lord. At the time of the statement, I was not in a good state having lost my wife and the stress I went through having been hospitalised and unknowingly thrown into jail.”
Accused number two, Ndondo Buthelezi, who is believed to have pulled the trigger, also testified.
The 29-year-old Buthelezi told the court he was sleeping at his home in Katlehong, Gauteng on the day of the murders.
“I used to work at night and came home the following morning. From around 7am, I went straight to bed and woke in the afternoon around 2pm” he said the taxi rank marshal.
“Accused number four, Thembelani Dlamini, also profusely denied the charges laid against him.
The 34-year-old taxi driver said he never set foot in Polokwane on the day of the double murders.
He said “The first time I was here was when I got arrested and brought to Polokwane to appear in court.”
The National Prosecuting Authority in the province says it has a strong case to that could result in a lengthy conviction.
NPS spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi-Dzangi said “The trial rested largely on the evidence contained in the cellphone communication between the accused, car tracking systems and possession of illegal firearms. The NPA has a strong and we are looking at a long jail term.”