A Soshanguve man, Sibusiso Mahlangu, who was accused of faking his death after he allegedly killed his wife’s ex-boyfriend, Sibusiso Sithebe, has told the court that he was shattered upon discovering that his wife, Lerato, was having an affair with the deceased.
Mahlangu testified that the revelation made him feel like a failure as a man and led to his departure from their marital home.
Mahlangu and his wife, Lerato, are on trial for the murder of Sithebe, who was killed in January 2022 and whose body was allegedly burned. The couple is accused of passing off Sithebe’s body as Mahlangu’s, which led to Lerato reportedly receiving an insurance payout of half a million rand from a life cover policy.
During his testimony on Tuesday, October 1, Mahlangu recounted the events leading up to Sithebe’s death. He revealed that he learned about the affair on the same day Sithebe was murdered. “We were preparing to go to my mother’s house for New Year’s Day lunch with my wife and two kids. That day, I wasn’t happy because I found out that my wife was cheating,” Mahlangu said.
Mahlangu described feeling distant from Lerato during the family lunch, noting that he sat next to his sister instead of his wife. Later, as they made their way to the taxi rank for Lerato’s trip to Mpumalanga, she reportedly tried to explain her infidelity. Mahlangu said he dropped her off, left his car at a mechanic, and went to a friend’s house in Silverton to clear his mind, feeling deeply hurt and like he had failed to protect his family.
Mahlangu was arrested in April 2023 in Hammanskraal after being found in possession of his then-girlfriend’s stolen car. He and Lerato were subsequently charged with Sithebe’s murder. The trial continues.
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