Man with foul temper 'tried to leave' before stabbing wife to death

It was violence as usual for a couple on the day a man chased down and stabbed his wife multiple times, leaving her dead in a pool of blood.

This was what the Randburg Magistrate's Court heard on Tuesday as the prosecution and defence presented their closing arguments in the trial of Tshimologo Huma, 37, accused of killing his wife Carla, 32, in 2011.

After a fight with her husband in his IT shop in Randburg, Carla fled to the house of a friend, Lebogang Letsoalo, in Cosmo City, northwest of Johannesburg.

Letsoalo earlier testified that Carla told her Huma had kicked and dragged her. Carla asked her to lock the doors and call the police.

The police arrived followed shortly by Huma. After an argument, he tried to leave but the police would not let him go. The couple argued again and Carla allegedly spat in Huma's face.

This was followed by Huma chasing Carla around and finally repeatedly stabbing and killing her after she fell outside in front of the garage

Prosecutor Yusuf Baba argued that Huma's defence of non-pathological criminal incapacity, meaning that his actions were “the result of involuntary conduct stemming from an emotional trauma, provocation or stress” was not true.

“There were no exceptional circumstances that triggered an involuntary reaction. The accused’s actions were purposeful and goal-directed,” said Baba.

He said the fact Carla had applied for a protection order before and laid a complaint of assault against Huma in 2009 after he allegedly attacked her with a spanner and a hammer showed that violence was “not uncommon” in the couple's relationship.

He further said the pocket knife was blunt and it would have taken “brute force” to stab Carla to death. Huma not only stabbed but also sliced at his wife, which showed that he was not just acting in a frenzy, Baba said.

Huma's attorney Johannes Pretorius said the fight at Huma's shop, Carla splashing alcohol on him and the fact that Carla told Huma he would rot in jail and spat on him led to Huma losing his temper.

“You can't spit on anyone's face, that is making hard enemies,” said Pretorius.

While testifying, Huma said that he was prone to violent outbursts and he had gotten into physical altercations with bystanders when he had been drinking.

Pretorius said because he was aware of his temper, Huma tried to remove himself from the volatile situation by leaving but the police would not let him go.

The matter has been postponed until next month when magistrate Vincent Pienaar is expected to hand down judgment.