Magistrate Thomas Nhleko found Prince Sifiso Zulu guilty of culpable homicide in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Nhleko said the state witnesses presented to the court were very impressive.
“State witnesses were very impressive and corroborated each other,” said Nhleko.
The state had said Zulu, a Durban socialite, was the driver of a BMW X5 that jumped a red traffic light and collided with a Mitsubishi double cab in March 2008, killing two members of the Soul’s Harbour Ministries Church and injuring 10 others.
Nhleko said there were numerous contradictions in the testimony of defence witnesses presented by defence counsel Thabani Masuku.
He singled out Mduduzi Xulu, a witness for the defence who told the court he remembered the day of the accident very clearly. Nhleko said that under cross-examination Xulu failed to answer questions and his evidence was a “blatant lie”.
Nhleko said the defence did not challenge the evidence of police Captain Shane Spilsbury, who said he saw two men running, one with dreadlocks and the other in khaki clothing. Later that day when Zulu went to the police station, Spilsbury saw him and said his clothing resembled that of the person seen running away.
Thami Ngema, the driver of the Mitsubishi double cab, said he was very happy with court outcome.
“I am happy that he is guilty because of the evidence. Now we have to wait and see how he will be sentenced,” Ngema said.
Zulu was facing seven charges, two of which are of culpable homicide. — Sapa