Vusi Mtokufa acquitted of murder

CHIPPA LEGODIMO
Correspondent | Tuesday July 27, 2010 00:00

 

The musician, who is now trying to get his career back on track was last year charged with the murder of his girlfriend Refilwe Thojane.

'I am happy to have my life back, but I have always believed that God would make people see the truth. I did not kill Thojane and the fight we had days before she died had nothing to do with her death.

I know some people had already judged and condemned me before the court could make a ruling but I do not blame them because they were probably fed wrong information. But this is nothing to celebrate because I lost someone I loved,' Mtokufa told Mmegi.

Mtokufa's life has been a rollercoaster the last three years. First he parted ways with his then producer, Matheke Leteane and then accused another gospel artiste Joel Keitumele of taking advantage of him by introducing him to women and alcohol at such a young age. Then in January 2009 the nation was shocked by the news that the youngster was facing murder charges. 'I had just returned from Francistown when my girlfriend called me to her place and while we were talking I heard Leteane talking in the background but she denied it was him. Thojane had become friends with Leteane during my time in his stable but when I left Leteane I made it clear to her that she could continue being friends with him but I would not want to share the same space with him. But on this day I found Leteane at her house and I told her I was leaving and would only come back once he had left but suddenly she became aggressive ad started beating me and accused me of avoiding her to check on my other girlfriends.

She was drunk but I did not expect her to behave like that. As the fracas continued she threatened to break my friend's car and after I had called a cab she jumped in and started assaulting me and broke my hand which is why I ended up in hospital,' he said.

According to the pathologist, Thojane died of acute liver failure which resulted from an overdose of paracetamol contrary to the prosecution's claims that she died from injuries sustained during a fight four days before her death.  'I was shocked when the police came to my hospital bed and informed me of her death and told me that I was under arrest for her murder because I only pushed her away when she choked me.

After that I ran away with my friend Obakeng Sengwaketse and we only saw Thojane at Julia Molefhe Clinic after which I learnt she had reported me to the police for assault,' he said. Mtokufa spent 14 days in hospital after which he was locked up at Boys Prison I Gaborone before his mention, when he was granted bail. The musician claimed that his relationship had been going smoothly until that fateful Sunday. 'We did not have a history of violence as a couple and I was not aware that she could become so violent until that day,' he said.

The musician said that since the whole thing started some people openly labelled him a murderer and even refused to buy his CDs and expressed hope that those perceptions would now change. Amazingly he managed to release an album while the murder charges were still hanging over his head. He thanked his family and his manager Reuben Lekoeje for standing by him through his problems. 

The two men had a problem last year with the South African accusing the youngster of disrespecting his copyright by releasing an album he (Lekoeje) produced without his consent. But they later patched things up.

'Thojane's parents might have looked at me with bitter eyes before because they were made to believe I killed their daughter but I have to thank them for the good spirit they showed after the judgement was delivered. The mother told me that we need to forget about the past and even offered to help me if I needed anything.