Manqele's wounds not self-inflicted‚ says doctor

The wounds that Sindisiwe Manqele sustained in her abdomen could not have been self-inflicted‚ the Johannesburg High Court heard on Friday.

This was the testimony of Dr Sipho Lukhosi‚ a medical practitioner called in by the defence to testify in Manqele’s trial.

Manqele‚ 26‚ is on trial in the Johannesburg High Court sitting at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court for the murder of her rapper boyfriend Nkulueko “Flabba” Habedi.

Habedi died of a stab wound to the chest on March 9 in his Alexandra home. Manqele has pleaded not guilty‚ saying she stabbed him in self-defence.

Lukhosi told the court that he had examined Manqele twice shortly after Habedi’s murder.

He said she had been limping when he saw her and had been complaining of being in pain.

He said he noticed tenderness on Manqele’s upper lip‚ lower jaw and on the left side of her chest.

Lukhosi also found six “sharp” wounds in Manqele’s abdomen‚ including a vertical incised wound.

The wounds‚ Lukhosi said‚ had been caused by a sharp object.

Asked by defence counsel Advocate Norman Makhubela if the wounds had been self inflicted‚ Lukhosi said they were not.
“It will be difficult for a right-handed person to self inflict those wounds.”

He said the only wound that was self inflicted on Manqele was the eight centimetre wound on her wrist.

Another defence witness Leticia Vena‚ an administration officer at Alexandra Clinic‚ told the court she had been asked to look for Manqele’s file‚ but it could not be located.

She said Manqele’s file should have been at the clinic as all patients are registered when they go there.

Under cross examination‚ Vena said it was rare for files got lost at the clinic.

“All records are kept at the clinic…I cannot say how the file was lost‚” she said.

The defence closed its case and the matter was postponed to November 23 for arguments.