Though Najwa Petersen and two hitmen were convicted of murder on Tuesday, it may never be known who actually fired the shot that killed her music legend husband Taliep.

As demonstrators outside the Cape High Court bayed for the return of the death penalty, Judge Siraj Desai said she had been an "appalling" witness and her testimony had been neither logical nor consistent.

"It festers with lies," he said.

He said it seemed probable that it was she who left the electronically-controlled front gate and the front door of the family's Cape Town home open for the hitmen on the night of the murder in December 2006.

Her own description of events during the staged "robbery" led to the inevitable conclusion that she knew what was expected of her and that the intruders knew she would co-operate.

"The evidence viewed in its totality ineluctably points to the pivotal role of accused number one [Najwa] in the murder of her husband," he said.

Desai said Waheed Hassen testified that he was holding the Z88 Parabellum he had brought with him folded into a cushion, when Najwa put her hands next to his and the shot went off that killed Taliep as he lay bound on the floor.

Who pulled the trigger?

Hassen had not gone so far as to say unequivocally that Najwa actually pulled the trigger.

The judge said it seemed that either she or Hassen fired the fatal shot.

"The court cannot, however, come to any firm conclusion in this regard," he said. "The benefit of this doubt must accrue to the accused."

But he added this did not mean that both accused did not participate in the murder.

Desai said the prosecution had sought to show that Najwa arranged the killing to protect her "not insignificant" financial interests in the face of a looming divorce from Taliep.

However he was not entirely satisfied that this motive had been established beyond a reasonable doubt.

He found Najwa, Hassen and Abdoer Emjedi — who was not on the scene that night but helped arrange the hit — guilty of murder and of robbery with aggravating circumstances.

Hassen was also convicted on firearm and ammunition charges — offences for which he was previously convicted in 1997, and served 18 months in jail.

The third man in the dock, Jefferson Snyders, was convicted only on a charge of robbery with aggravating circumstances.

Snyders testified that Hassen had invited him to take part in a staged robbery for insurance purposes, and that he left the house when he realised Taliep was to be shot.

Desai postponed the matter to 4 February next year for sentencing procedures.

Najwa's senior counsel Johann Engelbrecht said he intended calling a forensic criminologist to present as complete a picture as possible of his client.

The criminologist will be Irma Labuschagne, who recently testified in the sentencing of Skierlik shooter Johan Nell.

Taliep's brother 'happy' with ruling

Taliep's brother Igsaan said outside the court afterwards that he was "quite happy" with the judgment.

"I've got no complaint about the verdict," he said. "I'm a believer, and whatever God has put down for the outcome to be, I accept that."

However he said there was still a lot of emotion and sadness in the family.

"Whatever they are going to give Najwa is not going to bring Taliep back," he said.

"The community out there is still [feeling] like he passed on yesterday. I don't think she has got any idea how many people love that man."

Taliep's daughter Jawaahier, who got married at the weekend, thanked everyone who had supported the family over the past two years.

"It's very, very hard, and I would never wish this on anyone," she said.

A close friend of Najwa's, Farahnaaz Allie, said Najwa would appeal the findings. She said she did not want to pronounce on anyone's guilt or innocence, but Najwa had been judged guilty in the trial from day one.

"We're going to appeal, definitely," she said.

Sapa