Flabba and murder-accused had jealous spat hours before his death

10 September 2015 - 09:13 By S'duduzo Dludla

A few hours before his death‚ slain rapper Nkululeko "Flabba" Habedi and his girlfriend argued over jealousy‚ but it is in dispute who the jealous party was. Nkululeko Chauke‚ 31‚ who was friends with Skwatta Kamp band member Habedi for 13 years‚ on Wednesday testified that he saw the couple argue at a nightclub where Habedi performed the evening before his death.Sindisiwe Manqele‚ 26‚ who was Habedi's girlfriend‚ is charged with his murder in the Johannesburg High Court residing at the Randburg Magistrate's Court. Habedi died of a stab wound to the chest in the early hours of the morning on March 9 at his home in Alexandra‚ Johannesburg.Manqele has pleaded not guilty. She has said she stabbed Habedi in self-defence.Chauke told the court Manqele was sulking after Habedi talked to the girlfriend of Skwatta Kamp's manager at the Sandton nightclub The Sands. Manqele also seemed irritated when Habedi chatted to an ex-girlfriend at the club‚ Chauke said.He said Manqele and Habedi argued in the club's parking lot and Manqele accused Habedi of flirting with other women in her presence.According to Chauke‚ Manqele said: “Why is it okay to flirt with other women [but] when I talk to guys‚ suddenly we have to leave? You can't tell me what to do. You don't pay my bills.”Defence advocate Norman Makhubela told Chauke that‚ according to Manqele‚ it was Habedi who instigated the argument by grabbing her phone as she wanted to call a taxi to take her home from the club.Makhubela said the couple started arguing in the club because Habedi was jealous that Manqele was speaking to other men. Habedi then dragged her out of the club‚ Makhubela said.Chauke denied all of this.Habedi was stabbed after he and Manqele returned home from the club.Habedi's brother Tsepang‚ 28‚ who was in the house the night his brother died‚ testified that he went to Habedi's room after their younger brother woke him at about 1am. He found Manqele crying and Habedi lying on the floor.Manqele told him that she did not mean to do it and she loved Habedi‚ Tsepang said.He tried to stop the bleeding by applying pressure to his brother's wound.Tsepang said the knife that his brother was stabbed with belonged to their mother and he did not know how it ended up in his brother's bedroom.The trial continues. - TMG Courts and Law..

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