- Lucas Phasha has admitted to confronting his wife armed with an axe and a knife a day before his four children were killed.
- He contradicted himself on cellphone records after the discovery of the children's bodies.
- The State believes Phasha killed the children and fled the village.
Former attorney Lucas Phasha admitted in the Polokwane High Court in Limpopo on Thursday that he barged into his wife's parental home armed with an axe and a knife a day before his four young children were killed.
Phasha, 52, is standing trial for the murder of his children – Katlego, 9, Joyce,7, Tshepo, 5, and Adel, 3. The three children were found hacked to death by an axe, and the youngest one had her head bludgeoned with a huge stone at Ga-Phasha village in the Sekhukhune district on 17 February 2020.
His wife, Sylvia Monyela, earlier gave evidence. She told the court that he barged into her parental home around 02:00 on 16 February 2020 and took her by force to his homestead, leaving the four young children behind alone.
He had apparently been informed that his wife was with another man at her parent's home.
When asked about the incident by prosecutor Mashudu Mudau and whether his action showed love to the children, Phasha said:
The following day, 17 February 2020, his wife went back to prepare the children for school and then left for the local police station to report the incident. Later that day, Phasha took the children from the minibus that serves as school transport.
He told the court that his wife called him that day saying that she would join him at a local restaurant in the village for lunch. He said she later called that she was running late.
He, however, contradicted the statement when shown cellphone records that did not reflect any calls by his wife to him on that day.
Phasha also contradicted himself about calls and SMS messages by several people for him to return home or hand himself to police after the discovery of the bodies of his children at two different locations on 18 February 2020.
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The State alleges that Phasha killed his children on 17 February 2020 and then fled the village.
However, Phasha has insisted that he left the children at home alone, hoping that his wife would come back. He then called his girlfriend, Morwesi Mphahlele, to organise joining her in Lebowakgomo.
Again, Phasha could not explain why cellphone records do not reflect his calls to the girlfriend. The state believes the "girlfriend" does not exist, but Phasha was on the run.
Defence attorney Lucky Mkhize indicated that Phasha provided him with a cellphone number for the girlfriend, but the person who answered showed no interest in the matter.
The court was adjourned for time to trace the girlfriend to give evidence.
The proceedings will resume on 21 May 2020.
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