‘I am innocent,’ says man accused on Twitter of Tshegofatso Pule’s murder

David Shoba is on mission to clear his name after being accused on social media of being behind the brutal murder of Tshegofatso Pule.

A picture of him was widely shared on social media this week.

“This is David Shoba - he murdered Tshego Pule, he confessed to her murder. He says he panicked, he was not ready to be a father,” read the caption to the post.

Pule was found dead in open veld in Durban Deep, Roodepoort, on Monday. She had a stab wound to the chest and was found hanging from a tree.

She was eight months pregnant with a daughter, her first child.

Speaking to TimesLIVE, Shoba said: "They said I am the one who killed her, but I don’t even know that lady [Pule] or her boyfriend or the people in the picture."

He said he went to the Roodepoort police station on Wednesday to meet the investigating officer in the case.

"The investigating officer has my picture after it trended on social media, but he told me I’m not involved in the case and that he has a suspect. He was laughing at me and said he doesn’t know me. He advised me to open a case against the person who posted on social media," said Shoba.

Police spokesperson Capt Kay Makhubela confirmed that Shoba met police on Wednesday, and that the investigating officer said Shoba was not a person of interest in the murder.

Shoba said he went to the Meadowlands police station on the same day to open a case against the person who shared his picture online. TimesLIVE confirmed that a case has been opened.

"I am innocent and just want to clear my name because I don’t even know the lady. I just want justice to be done. I want the law to take its course," he added.

Pule was laid to rest at the Roodepoort cemetery on Thursday morning.