/ 21 August 2012

Murdered judge Maqubela’s text: ‘I’m a walking corpse’

Thandi Maqubela
Thandi Maqubela

In some SMSes read out on Monday, sent from Maqubela's phone to the judge's phone, she apparently addresses a woman he had an affair with, the Cape Times reported.

The text sent in December 2007 read: "If you don't stop phoning my husband, you will regret it. The whole of South Africa will know how dirty you are. By the way, your clothes are still with me. I mean the filthy underwear I took from the hotel …"

Maqubela's body was found in his luxury apartment in Bantry Bay on June 7 2009.

The state alleges he was suffocated, while the defence claims he died of natural causes.

At 1.51pm on the day before he died, an SMS was sent from the judge's number to law firm partner Patrick Daly.

The SMS said: "[Patrick], I've been living a lie. The truth is about to come out. I once said I'm a walking corpse. I've been hiding the truth from myself …"

The state alleges that Maqubela had his cellphone in her possession after his death.

The trial continues on Tuesday. – Sapa