Court hears how murder accused Pitch Black Afro's conscience made him confess

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Johannesburg - A magistrate has testified at the high court in Joburg that rapper Thulani Ngcobo, aka Pitch Black Afro, insisted on making a confession to him in his chambers that he allegedly killed his wife. Mohammed Jajbhay, a magistrate at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court, testified on Tuesday that Ngcobo told him he wanted to repeat a statement he had already made before Yeoville police “because of my conscience and I want to do right by my wife”. The Soweto-born hitmaker was in the dock facing accusations that he beat his wife, Catherine Modisane, to death at a B&B in Yeoville on December 31, 2018. A post-mortem concluded that Modisane succumbed to severe head injuries inflicted with a blunt object. Ngcobo also faced a charge of defeating the ends of justice.

The rapper, who was denied bail, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

His apparent confession to the murder was the subject of a trial within a trial. The accused wanted the confession to be ruled inadmissible, arguing that he was coerced by police to make it.

Defence lawyer Rian Greyling submitted that prior to being taken to Jajbhay’s office, Ngcobo was coerced by six police officers to make the confession.

Greyling submitted that one officer stepped on Ngcobo’s hands while they were handcuffed on the back of the chair, and another threatened to not give him back documents he needed to sign for a funeral insurance and also told him he was a murderer.

“Police told the accused he must indicate that he assaulted the deceased and that his conscience is bothering him,” said Greyling.

However, the State argued that Ngcobo decided on his own volition to confess before Jajbhay.

A ruling by the court that Ngcobo’s confession was admissible would strengthen the State’s case against him.

Prosecutor Matshiliso Moleko called Jajbhay to testify on Ngcobo’s confession.

The magistrate told the court that Ngcobo was adamant that he was making the statement of his own volition.

Jajbhay said the rapper insisted that he had not been assaulted, threatened or promised anything to make the confession.

“He kept on saying I need to do it for the memory and respect of my wife,” said Jajbhay.

“I did inform him of the charge against him and explained to him that he has a right to remain silent. He was very confident.”

Jajbhay testified that he did not mark the statement as a confession. He said he opted to leave it to the high court to decide if it was a confession or not.

The trial-within-trial will continues.

@BonganiNkosi87

The Star