Slain cop’s signature queried in Hume case
04 May 2009

BLOEMFONTEIN — The murder trial of IT consultant Muziwendoda Kunene in the high court here was postponed yesterday for legal counsel to prepare their final arguments.

Judge M.H. Rampai put off the matter to May 11.

Kunene (45) of Ballito and Mumukeleni Khoza (26) and Mphakamiseni Khumalo (21), both of Msinga near Greytown, are accused of kidnapping and murdering Ballito estate agent Lynne Hume in October 2007.

The state alleges Hume (47) was driven to a dirt road near Kestell in the eastern Free State and shot in the passenger seat of her white Volvo on October 23, 2007. The vehicle was then set alight.

The court yesterday heard testimony from a police handwriting expert after the state applied successfully to re-open its case.

His testimony came after the court had allowed a copy of an affidavit from a dead policeman, Superintendent Zethembe Chonco, to be admitted as hearsay evidence.

Kunene had as part of his defence handed in a copy of the affidavit purportedly written by Chonco. It detailed a conspiracy by the presidency and an elaborate plan to kill Hume.

Chonco, who was stationed at the Kranskop police station in KwaZulu-Natal, was killed in a taxi violence-related incident in the province last year.

The state’s handwriting expert testified that many of Chonco’s signatures on the 31-page affidavit could have been copied and pasted on.

Another state witness, Superintendent Louis Bester of the Pretoria organised crime unit, testified that he was assigned to one of Kunene’s other cases earlier by national police management.

He had been tasked with helping to investigate a shooting during which Kunene was wounded in the hand in November 2007.

At the time Kunene was an accused in the so-called ANC hoax-e-mail case — which implicated ANC members in a conspiracy against then ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma.

Kunene, former spy boss Billy Masetlha and former National Intelligence Agency manager for electronic surveillance Funokwakhe Madlala were acquitted of all charges in the matter in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on January 15.

Bester testified that he “co-ordinated” all investigations into Kunene. Kunene was also facing charges of defeating the ends of justice and attempted murder in the Pretoria Regional Court.

While cross-examining Bester, Kunene’s lawyer, Jan Nkhahle, told the policeman that he was involved in the conspiracy against Kunene, and that Kunene was of the opinion that Bester was co-ordinating the conspiracy.

Kunene earlier alleged that his implication in Hume’s murder was part of this conspiracy.