Pule’s family wanting closure left frustrated by trial delays

THE family of Tshegofatso Pule, the 28-year-old woman whose brutal killing in June 2020 shocked the country, is finding the wheels of justice to be turning frustratingly too slow.

Ntuthuko Shoba, Pule’s boyfriend accused of masterminding her killing, could not take to the dock at the high court in Joburg yesterday.

His anticipated trial could not kick off because the process to “reimage” his cellphone data record was yet to be completed.

Prosecutor Faghre Mohamed informed Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng that the delay in this process necessitated a postponement to next week.

Shoba’s lawyers needed this data to complete the defence’s arguments against the State’s case.

The 32-year-old former JSE analyst faces a charge of murder and another of defeating the ends of justice.

He has been behind bars since his arrest in February last year, as three of his bail applications have failed.

Police pounced on him following the confession by Muzikayise Malephane, the man initially linked to the killing. Malephane told authorities Shoba paid him to kill Pule, who was eight months’ pregnant. He hanged her in a tree in Roodepoort.

Malephane was jailed for 20 years after entering into a plea bargain with the State.

After the brief court proceedings yesterday, Pule’s uncle, Tumisang Katake, expressed frustration over the trial delay. “The longer this thing drags, the more pain we feel as a family.”

Katake said that the family hoped for the conclusion of Shoba’s case, so that they can find closure and begin mourning.