Middelburg man found guilty of murder after fight over dagga plants
Mandla Jerry Mahlangu was found guilty in the Middelburg Regional Court after he fatally struck Tshehla with a baseball bat on the head multiple times on October 7, 2020, Middelburg Observer reports.
Dispute over dagga plants turns violent
Itumeleng Tshehla, the victim's brother, testified in court that he was present when an argument ensued between him, his brother and Mahlangu.
The fight was allegedly about Mahlangu's dagga plants that were removed from the garden by the two brothers.
Itumeleng said that he and his brother then left and began walking home, but Mahlangu came out of his home carrying a baseball bat, heading toward Tshehla.
He said he tried to warn his brother by shouting, but it was too late. Mahlangu repeatedly hit Tshehla with the baseball bat on his head and chest.
Itumeleng added that Mahlangu attempted to hit him, and he sustained injuries on both his palms.
Mahlangu then fled the scene.
Itumeleng told the court that he took his brother home, where a friend drove them to the Middelburg Provincial Hospital.
He said that due to Covid-19 restrictions, he could not go inside with his brother. Itumeleng was later informed that Tshehla had died due to his injuries.
Mahlangu denies allegations
Mahlangu denied the allegations and told the court that it was the two brothers who followed him to his home.
He said he saw Tshehla standing at his gate and asked him to leave multiple times. He added that Tshehla asked if the two could talk, but Mahlangu refused and asked Tshehla to leave.
Mahlangu testified that he eventually got tired of asking Tshehla to leave and walked into the house to fetch a baseball bat to scare the brothers into leaving.
He added that after he saw Tshehla reaching into his pocket for what he believed to be a weapon, he started hitting him with the bat to protect himself, acting in self-defence.
Court rejects self-defence claim
Magistrate Deon Minnie, however, was not convinced. 'The accused agreed during his testimony that he was not scared when he approached the deceased at the gate, and that he did so while armed with the baseball bat, as the deceased had allegedly insulted his deceased mother. The assault on the deceased thus appears to have been executed in revenge.'
The court held that Mahlangu could have foreseen the possibility that hitting Tshehla with the baseball bat could have fatally harmed him. Minnie added that by continuing to strike Tshehla on the head, Mahlangu reconciled himself with the consequences of his actions.
His defence was rejected by the court, and Mahlangu was found guilty of murder. The case was postponed for sentencing.
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