Murder-accused Alutha Pasile will, according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), not be contesting his case against Nosicelo Mtebeni.
The 23-year-old University of Fort Hare student was brutally murdered and dismembered last week Tuesday, allegedly by her boyfriend, Pasile.
Her remains, stuffed in a suitcase and packs of plastic bags, were found by a vagrant on the corners of Fleet and Fitzpatrick Road in Quigney, East London, two days after she was last seen alive by her housemates.
Alutha Pasile case: NPA describes it as ‘open-and-shut’
On Monday, the 25-year-old suspect appeared before the East London Magistrate’s Court. While proceedings were brief, a lot was accomplished.
The court learned that Pasile would not seek legal representation, a clear sign that, at least for now, Mtebeni’s boyfriend will not be contesting the murder charge.
The suspect also revealed to the court of his decision to abandon his right to apply for bail.
Outside the court, where a large crowd — mostly made up of women — was protesting, NPA spokesperson Anelisa Ngcakani confirmed to reporters that as far as things stand, Pasile has admitted responsibility for his girlfriend’s murder.
An account of how Mtebeni was killed — according to Pasile
Moreover, the 25-year-old submitted a confession to police, where he went into detail about the events that led to the brutal murder of Mtebeni.
In his own words, Pasile admitted that he had grown jealous of his girlfriend, whose demeanour had changed after she returned from visiting her family earlier in August.
Apparently, his attempts to snoop through her phone were met with resistance, something that, according to Pasile, was never an issue in the past.
So, on that fateful Tuesday evening, the insecure boyfriend snuck up on Mtebeni, who was asleep, and gained unauthorised entry into her phone.
Pasile claims he stumbled on irrefutable evidence that Mtebeni had been sparking up a romantic relationship with another man.
This allegedly culminated in a physical altercation that took place the next morning.
“He alleges that she bit him and scratched him and, in retaliation, he pushed her against the wall, and she was injured in the back of her head and the front and started foaming, resulting in her sustaining fatal injuries.” NPA spokesperson Ngcakani revealed.
This is the version the State has led with in the ongoing case. The matter has since been rescheduled to 28 September 2021, with the possibility of Pasile’s next appearance being at a High Court due to the nature of the case.
The State, it’s believed, is awaiting a post-mortem report, statements from four witnesses as well as CCTV footage that could play a crucial role in corroborating Pasile’s confession.
On Wednesday, Mtebeni’s family, friends and peers from University of Fort Hare held a memorial service in her honour.
