Maqubela concerned husband would bring HIV

04 September 2012 - 10:45 By Sapa
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Thandi Maqubela was arrested after her husband, Judge Patrick Maqubela, was found murdered. File photo.
Thandi Maqubela was arrested after her husband, Judge Patrick Maqubela, was found murdered. File photo.
Image: Supplied

Murder accused Thandi Maqubela was concerned her husband, acting judge Patrick Maqubela, would bring HIV into the family, according to a report on Tuesday.

Maqubela is on trial with co-accused Vela Mabena in the Cape Town Labour Court for her husband's alleged murder.

The Star newspaper reported that defence lawyer Marius Broeksma put Maqubela's concern about HIV coming into the family before State witness Mzimkulu Dilima, a medical doctor and a friend of Maqubela's husband for 40 years.

Dilima testified that Maqubela came to see him in late 2008 or early 2009 and showed him a file containing information, such as photos and hotel bills relating to her husband's alleged affairs.

"She said I must please talk to the judge because she didn't like this and she didn't approve of it," Dilima told the court.

Broeksma suggested to Dilima that Maqubela had not only gone to see him because he was her husband's friend, but also because he was a doctor and he would understand the health risks of the acting judge sleeping around.

Broeksma said Maqubela raised concerns regarding HIV and contracting the virus.

Dilima said he did not recall this, as it was never a striking point in their conversation, the Star reported.

Dilima said he received an SMS from the acting judge on June 5, 2009, the day he suffocated in his Bantry Bay flat in Cape Town.

The State believes by the time Dilima received the SMS, the acting judge was already dead, with Dilima telling the court the acting judge never sent SMSs, preferring to phone instead.

He said the SMS stated the acting judge had been trying to reach him several times and that Dilima was not available. Dilima said he had received the SMS around 11am, according to the newspaper.

Broeksma said cellphone records showed the SMS had been received at 8.56pm on June 4. Dilimsa said he had checked his phone in the afternoon and had switched it off to attend a funeral.

The trial continues.

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