Flabba's girlfriend found guilty of his murder

Handing down his ruling Judge Solly Sithole said: “I am convinced that the version of Manqele has to be rejected there’s no reasonable relationship with her attack and the actions of Habedi”.

Sithole said Manqele’s private defense was exceeded by stabbing him unlawfully. The nature of force used was consistent with force.

“Intension isn’t an issue because the accused herself admitted it herself that she intended to stab the deceased,” said the judge, who had previously said the musician’s killig was a “crime of passion”.

The sentiment has sparked speculation that Sithole was not likely to find Manqele guilty – but the reality sunk in when Sithole pronounced that he had found Manqele guilty of murdering her lover, Habedi, who was 38 when she stabbed him to death in March this year.

Before handing down the judgement Sithole quoted Manqele saying she intended to stab Habedi to get away from him.

Earlier, while he was reading his 50-page judgement, Sithole said it was clear that the case involved a love relationship that turned sour with accusations and was doomed to fail and unfortunately ended up in death of one of the partners.

Sithole said the cause of the altercation was mutual jealousy and Habedi’s financial status.

He went on to list aspects of the case that led to the fatal outcome of Habedi’s death

“The dancing of Kea with the deceased irritated the accused. She denies knowledge of Kea despite Luyanda hearing Kea and Mpho named in the altercation in the bedroom.”

Another trigger was the two men who spoke to Manqele and Masego Tsele while they were leaving the club. Habedi felt the men were being disrespectful, Sithole said.

Habedi’s financial status came up in the parking lot when they were walking to their vehicle.

Sithole quoted Manqele where she said “you can’t tell me what to do because you don’t pay my bills ”

Sithole stated that after they left the club the argument continued on their way to McDonald’s.

“It’s quite obvious that the tension was building up … No one witnessed what happened in the bedroom but the accused”

The question is whether she intensionally killed Habedi,” Sithole said.

“The court must not only look at the evidence brought forward by the state and defence but must look at probabilities and improbabilites of the case.”

The judge refered to similar cases and went on to read out common causes of the case.

“The accused is the only person who could give information of the killing. There is no direct evidence against Manqele’s version, however, it had to be evaluated accurately.”

Sithole stated it was not surprising that Manqele was hurt that Habedi was having relationships with three other women.

Her immediate reaction was severe, he said.

The state stated that Manqele contradicted herself on how much alcohol she drank and was down playing how much she drank while giving her evidence.

Manqele, who was registered at Griffith College, a private private college in the city of Dublin in the Republic of Ireland when she fatally stabbed Habedi, was on R10 000 bail and her lawyer, Norman Makhubela, was trying to persuade the judge not to send her to jail immediately.

However, the defence failed to pursuade the judge to extend bail and Manqele was led to the cells. - ANA