Murder trial starts afresh

Justice Thomas Masuku tried Hussein Musa partially before he returned to his home country last year. Musa's case has been allocated to Justice Moses Chinhengo who is hearing it afresh. The prosecution alleges that Musa and seven others, not before court, on August 26, 2005, at Nata murdered Gerhardaus van Deventer Fourie and stole a Land Rover Defender belonging to Deon Vanden Berg. They are said to have used violence on Fourie who was driving the car during the robbery.

When the trial restarted yesterday Musa pleaded not guilty to both charges. The prosecutor, Pascal Mhandu told the court that Musa was initially jointly charged with Alfred Ndlovu, Joseph Sibanda and Nhlanhla Ndlovu. He submitted that charges against the three were withdrawn by the state in 2007.