16 Jun 2014

A witness in Phenyo Setshwantsho’s murder trial, on Friday 13, gave the Gaborone High Court graphic details of how the accused murdered rapper, Billy Nkomazana in December 2009.

Giving his evidence in chief, Mr Edward Bull said on that fateful night, he saw the deceased holding the accused by the scruff of the neck and it looked like there was a quarrel between the two.

He told the court that in the process of trying to establish what the problem was, he grabbed Nkomazana by the hand and tried to dislodge him from the accused. However the deceased flung him away and released himself from his grip.

He said in a short period of time there was a huge cycle of people around the area witnessing the fight. While Nkomazana held him by the collar, the accused pulled out a knife from the back pocket of his trouser and stabbed the deceased on the lower abdomen.

He said the deceased moved three to four steps behind and fell. After the deceased managed to get up, the accused followed him holding the same knife high in his right arm and stabbed him on the opposite side, still on the abdomen.

Bull said he and some of his friends rushed Nkomazana to Julia Molefhe Clinic in Gaborone’s Block 9 location, where he was certified dead.

Before that, Bull had told the court that a friend of theirs and kwaito star, Aminoni 'Mingo' Majokeri, had informed them that one of his friends (meaning the deceased) was being attacked by some people and he was asking for help. He told of his regret for ignoring the request to go and help.

When testifying, Majokeri also said he saw the accused stabbing the deceased with a knife when he was trying to intervene saying that after being stabbed, the deceased moved three to four steps backwards and fell.

He said after the accused stabbed the deceased, the accused and two other  people started to chase them around with the accused holding a knife and his other two friends throwing bottles of beer at them.

Mingo testified that at some point he fell down and fainted and this was the reason why he omitted some of the important aspects of his statement when the police recorded a statement from him. He added he only dictated his statement to the police officer.

Prosecutors say Setshwantsho murdered Nkomazana during an interaction between him and Mingo's friends near Kgale Filling Station. The bloody attack left the young rapper dead and several others with multiple stab wounds.

Justice Mothobi is presiding, Lamec Kgosiile from the DPP is prosecuting while Banyatsi Mmekwa is the defense counsel. ENDS