Reggae star Lucky Dube was apparently shot dead because one of his assailants thought he was a Nigerian national, the Johannesburg high court heard yesterday.

Reggae star Lucky Dube was apparently shot dead because one of his assailants thought he was a Nigerian national, the Johannesburg high court heard yesterday.

Mpho Maropeng, the wife of Thabo Maropeng, whose charges have been dropped, said her husband told her what had happened after receiving a call from one of the accused, Mbuti Mabe, telling him to watch a TV broadcast showing Dube's death.

"He told me they 'drove around, all four of them, in the Polo. They stopped in a certain spot in Rosettenville. A Chrysler C200 stopped close by, during which time accused No1 and 2 went out of the VW and approached the Chrysler.

"[This was] while Thabo and accused No3 remained in the car. He said they then heard the first gunshot going off.

"Thabo said he went to the car, placed both hands on the roof and looked at what had happened before going back to the Polo.

"During this time a second shot went off and he said that accused No1 and 2 came back and told them to drive off."

Mpho said that when she asked Thabo why they had shot Dube he told her that Mabe had told him that "he did not see it was him [Dube]. He thought it was a Nigerian national."

Mabe, Sifiso Mhlanga and Julius Xowa are on trial for the murder of Dube, shot outside his brother's house in Rosettenville, southern Johannesburg, on October 13 2007. - Sapa