Slain rapper Nkululeko "Flabba" Habedi took the knife that killed him into his bedroom where he was later found fatally stabbed, the High Court in Johannesburg sitting in Randburg heard on Tuesday.

This was according to Norman Makhubele, the lawyer of Sindisiwe Manqele, who is accused of murdering the hip hop star.

While questioning a State witness, Makhubele said it was Manqele's version that she had locked herself in Habedi's room.

"When she walked to the door, she heard fidgeting on the door on the outside. As soon as she opened the door, she realised that the deceased had a knife in his hand," Makhubele said to the witness.

Witness Thapelo Sello said he could not comment on that because he had not witnessed it.

He and Habedi's cousin, Mpho Motsoari, had been outside the house, listening to music when the couple returned home after a party.

Sello said Habedi had told them that he and Manqele started fighting after she spotted him speaking to a woman at the party.

Self-defence claim

He claimed that Habedi was in a jovial mood and had grabbed his own buttocks, gesturing the physique of the woman who had caused them to fight.

Sello said he heard Habedi knock on the door, pleading for Manqele to open the locked bedroom door.

He claimed the rap star later walked to the window outside the house, where he continued to knock.

Makhubele said Manqele's version was that Habedi was shouting at her to "not make him sick" as he banged on the window.

Sello refuted this, claiming he heard none of it.

He said Habedi rushed inside the house when he heard Manqele unlock the door.

The couple closed the door behind them and they argued until Habedi screamed: "This bitch just stabbed me."

He died from a stab wound to the chest.

Manqele has pleaded not guilty to murder. She claims she acted in self-defence.

Sello said he heard the argument between the couple, but claimed there were no sounds of a struggle coming from the room.

He echoed Motsoari's testimony that Manqele screamed for help only after Habedi was stabbed.

Stab wound to the stomach

Sello and Motsoari on Tuesday shed no light on where they thought the weapon could have come from.

Sello said he did not observe any injuries on Manqele until she tried to slit her wrists with a glass in the presence of the police.

The police later took her to a local clinic where she received a stitch for a cut close to her navel.

Sello's testimony was that paramedics who arrived at the house had treated Manqele for wounds sustained only to her wrists.

It was unclear when she had sustained the stab wound to the stomach.

Proceedings were adjourned and are expected to continue on Wednesday with Sello returning to the stand.

Meanwhile, outside court, Habedi's family gathered close to the court stairs. Manqele made her way past them in an all-black outfit, her head also covered with a black scarf.

Among those present was Habedi's mother who watched as Manqele was escorted by her lawyers into a vehicle.

 Source: news24WIRE