It was a day of high drama at the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Wednesday where the alleged hit man in the assassination of former ANC Youth League secretary Sindiso Magaqa sought to make a full disclosure about the assassination.
But Sbusiso Ncengwa told the court that he no longer has confidence in his attorney provided by Legal Aid. He said he wanted to acquire a private lawyer. Ncengwa also claimed there was a well-orchestrated plan to stop him from confessing.
“Angijabule ngaye, akenzi engikufunayo (I’m not happy with him, he’s not doing what I had asked him to do),” Ncengwa made the submission to Judge Nontuthuzelo Mlaba.
Ncengwa requested court to grant him at least three days to hire a new lawyer. According to his version, he believes there was concerted effort to embellish the truth. He wants to spill the beans on who had aided and abetted the killing of Magaqa.
Apart from the state machinery used to kill Magaqa, Ncengwa said high profile politicians were involved in the hit. He said his confession will mention politicians and police’s top brass. All who were the mastermind in the assassination plot.
Ncengwa, alongside businessman Mbulelo Mpofana and former police officer Sbonelo Myeza, are facing charges for the hit.
He had prepared an affidavit in which he explained in detail how him and his friend Jabulani Sgora Mdunge cornered Magaqa at a car wash and shot him in July 2017. Magaqa was 35-years old when he was killed.
The firebrand youth leader was a councillor at the Umzimkhulu local municipality under the Harry Gwala district. He was shot alongside fellow councillors Jabulile Mzizi, who is now the Umzimkhulu mayor and another councillor Nonsikelelo Mafa.
They had been attending a council meeting earlier that day in 2017. The trigger for Magaqa’s murder was apparently a multi-million-rand tender. It was fraudulently awarded to a businessman with connection to local senior politicians. The tender was disguised as being issued to upgrade a community hall.
In his affidavit, seen by Sunday World, Ncengwa also disclosed the names of two ANC politicians who hired them to kill Magaqa as the youth league leader was about to open a case of corruption against them.
Ncengwa was frustrated when his lawyer didn’t entertain his intention to make a full disclosure. He asked the lawyer to relieve his legal aid lawyer as his representative, vowing to hire his own new attorney to plead his case.
The trio face, among other charges, murder, conspiracy to murder and attempted murder.
Sunday World has already revealed through its investigation that an AK47 bought by the state was used to assassinate Magaqa, who survived the attack but later died in hospital. Other senior cops in the state intelligence are also fingered in the hit.
The matter returns to court in August for the commencement of the much-awaited trial.
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