A former law student on Wednesday told the Pretoria High Court how he had bludgeoned his friend with a dumbbell before slicing off his private parts because of his unwelcome sexual advances.
Frank Lebogang Mahlakoana (24) said that he could not really express his feelings about the death of his friend, William Henry Thomas, but found it so shocking and horrifying that he could not even look at photos of the murder scene, as it frightened him.
Mahlakoana has pleaded not guilty to murdering and robbing Thomas and trying to steal Thomas’s car on May 8 2005.
Police discovered Thomas in a pool of blood in his lounge and his private parts tucked away under a dressing room table in his bedroom after Thomas’s neighbours alerted the police and prevented Mahlakoana from escaping.
Mahlakoana testified that he and Thomas were good friends and that he had on occasion even stayed with Thomas, who had helped him find a job.
He told the court Thomas had invited him for a visit on the day of the incident, but then ”out of the blue” declared his love and tried to put his hand down Mahlakoana’s pants.
”I pushed him away, so he stood up, downed a glass of alcohol and went to his bedroom. He came back and stood in front of me. He had undressed himself. When I asked what he was doing, he told me not to worry, I would see.
”He embraced me and tried to kiss me. I pushed him away and started to struggle with him so that he fell. I think it made him angry.”
Mahlakoana said he then tried to run, but Thomas stopped him.
”I said leave me alone, I want to go, but he said I would not get away that easily. I ran, trying to find an exit, but he followed me with a knife in his hand.
”I saw a dumbbell against the wall and hit him with it. He fell and the knife dropped out of his hand. I ran to get a key, but when I returned he grabbed me and threw me onto the couch. He wanted to fall on me, but I ducked, so that he landed on the couch. Then I took the knife and cut through his private parts.
”I thought he would fall, but he stood up again and splattered me with blood. He did not want me to get the keys and grabbed me again, so I took the dumbbell again and hit him twice on the head,” Mahlakoana said.
He said Thomas managed to keep the door closed despite his injuries, but he later managed to tie Thomas to a door.
His first thought was to phone his sister, but he was so anxious that he burst into tears. She told him to stay there and that she was on her way, so he took a shower and changed his clothes. Police arrested him at the scene.
Asked why he had hidden Thomas’s private parts, he said he was so scared that he just ”threw around” the private parts because he did not know what to tell police.
The trial continues. — Sapa