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A gavel used in the court of law.
The Thohoyandou High Court in Limpopo has provisionally withdrawn the postmortem report and the J88 form as evidence in the murder trial against media socialite, Livhuwani Madadzhe.
Madadzhe is accused of murdering his partner, Lindelani Nengovhela two years ago. He is being tried in the high court sitting at the Watervaal Magistrates Court outside Louis Trichardt in Limpopo.
Judge Thogomelani Tshidada ruled that the postmortem report and the J88 form must be put on hold awaiting the testimony of other witnesses and experts.
The trial will continue on Thursday.
Madadzhe’s trial entered its second day on Wednesday.
Nengovhela was found dead and floating in a water-filled disused pit toilet at the couple’s home in Sidou, Mangondi outside Thohoyandou.
The investigating officer who visited the crime scene, Hulisani Nemulalate, took the stand for the second day on Wednesday. He testified on the state of deceased’s body and the crime scene.
Judge Tshidada ordered that Nemulalate must be recalled due to contradictions in his testimony and the photo album.
Madadzhe’s lawyer, Advocate Ntsako Hlungwane says the fact that the postmortem report has been put on hold is an indication that the state’s case is weak.
“The evidence that was that was led by the state has been too much shacking in a sense that the state witness – to give touchable evidence pertaining on what he saw on the day of which he visited the scene of the crime – he gave inconsistent statements of which, at the end of the day, the court also refused to accept the postmortem report, as well the J88,” says Hlungwane.
On the first day of trial on Tuesday this week, Judge Tshidada, court officials, the accused, Livhuwani Madadzhe and his lawyer, Advocate Ntsako Hlungwane left the court in Watervaal and headed to the crime scene at Mangondi ha-Sidou outside Thohoyandou. The 80-kilometre trip was undertaken after Judge Tshidada expressed concern about lack of more evidence on the statement.
