Dad who killed own baby had slain teenager before

13 years ago he raped, murdered a girl; this time he strangled his 14-month-old daughter

A KHAYELITSHA father, who has a previous conviction for the rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl, has now been found guilty of killing his 14-month-old daughter.

Ntuthuzelo Mayekisa, 25, was convicted of rape and murder 13 years ago.

Yesterday, the Western Cape High Court convicted him of strangling his daughter, Lindokuhle Kota, to death.

Lindokuhle was in the care of Mayekiso for two weeks before she died on May 7 last year.

A post-mortem report stated Lindokuhle died of blunt force injuries and primarily of manual strangulation. She had sustained multiple external and internal injuries.

Judge Taswell Papier rejected the accused’s version that the child had fallen from the washing machine and sustained a minor bump on the head as improbable.

The judge referenced testimony by the accused’s brother, Ndumiso Mayekiso, who said he heard the child crying non-stop in the accused’s room. Lindokuhle was also making a snorkelling sound before the accused took the child to his mother’s room, who insisted she be taken to hospital.

When he brought her to his mother’s room the child had a bruise on the lip and blood coming out of her mouth.

Mayekiso admitted that he was the only one with the girl, but told the court he didn’t know how the injuries were sustained. He could also not account for the scratch marks on her neck. Lindokuhle had a spinal injury, abdominal injury, haemorrhage in her eyes and a neck injury. Her brain was swollen.

“The pathologist said the injuries She died through his deliberate assault. He inflicted pain and injuries with the intention to kill TASWELL PAPIER Judge were inconsistent with a fall. At least four falls would have been required to cause some of the injuries.

“The abdominal injury is also inconsistent with the fall unless she fell on a projected objected, but there is no evidence supporting that,” said Judge Papier.

During the trial the accused refused to look at the post-mortem photographs.

The judge said State witnesses, including his family, were credible, adding that there was no reason why the accused’s family would falsely implicate him.

“There is no other inference, but that she died at the hands of the accused through this deliberate assault.

“He inflicted pain on the deceased, no more than a little baby of 14 months. He inflicted injuries with the intention to kill the deceased,” he said.

The State indicated it would be arguing for life imprisonment for the murder. It would also be calling the victim’s family, on the maternal side, to give evidence in aggravation.

The defence indicated that it would be consulting the accused’s mother and brother to see if they would be willing to testify for mitigation.

The court also asked that a probation officer’s report be done. Sentencing proceedings start on October 8.