State witness set to take the stand in Usindiso building fire case! The trial of the man accused of setting alight the Usindiso building in Johannesburg’s CBD continues on Thursday morning, with a State witness expected to take the stand.
S’thembiso Mdlalose has been standing trial at the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court for allegedly starting the fire.
Mdlalose confessed to igniting the blaze, which killed 76 people at the hijacked building almost two years ago.
Usindiso building fire
This week, the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court has been hearing testimony from fire experts investigating the cause of the deadly Usindiso building blaze.
Both experts testified that based on the tested debris samples, no traces of petrol or any other flammable liquid were found at the scene.
This contradicts Mdlalose’s confession, where he admitted to using petrol to spark the fire.
But this is the same confession he tried to retract in court, claiming he was under duress and under the influence of drugs when he admitted to the crime.
The court rejected his bid to have the confession ruled inadmissible.
More State witnesses are expected to testify on Thursday.
In other news – Victoria Gonzalez shows off romance with Black Coffee
Model Victoria Gonzalez is clearly basking in love, and she’s not afraid to show it. The Venezuelan model, who has been romantically linked to internationally acclaimed DJ Black Coffee, has been filling her Instagram feed with loved-up snaps of the couple living their best lives around the world.
But while many fans have been cheering her on, others couldn’t help but notice what seemed like not-so-subtle digs aimed at Black Coffee’s ex-wife, Enhle Mbali. Read More
