Taxi man to go on trial for murders
Accused said to have executed young lovers
A married taxi owner from KwaThema, Springs, is scheduled to go on trial for the murders of his alleged lover and her boyfriend on Good Friday.
Father of two, Themba Bhekumuzi Ndlozi, 36, is accused of shooting dead 26-yearold Refiloe Moshime, who was allegedly his mistress, and Refiloe’s boyfriend Thuto Theko in the Far East Rand township.
Lerato Moshime denied claims her sister and Ndlozi were lovers.
“I don’t believe it,” Lerato told Sowetan outside the Springs Magistrate’s Court where Ndlozi appeared briefly yesterday amid protests by angry residents, ANC and DA supporters.
She described Refiloe as a very bubbly person and said her sister introduced Theko to her in September.
Refiloe was an employee of Motion Insurance Brokers (MIB) in KwaThema until the company moved to bigger premises in Boksburg on April 3, according to her cousin Thokozile Masina.
It was around that time Refiloe and Ndlozi became close as the taxi owner started providing transport for MIB employees commuting between KwaThema and Boksburg.
“He started offering them lifts on April 3 and two weeks later (April 14) she was dead,” Masina explained.
Lerato said Refiloe had a single bullet wound to her left cheek while Theko, an SBV employee, had one bullet wound to his forehead.
Theko’s aunt Priscilla Masondo said police arrived at the family’s home in KwaThema and took his father, Lucky Theko, to identify him and found his body on the street.
Masondo said it appeared Theko had been shot inside a room he rented and then dragged into the street.
Ndlozi said in court papers he was dragging Theko to hospital when he died.
He also told the court he heard gunshots while he was outside and when he went inside he discovered Refiloe had shot herself.
Ndlozi faces two murder charges, as well as loss of a firearm for failing to keep it safely locked away, failing to take reasonable steps to prevent its loss and keeping keys to the safe.
The firearm used in the murders has not been found.
Ndlozi is also charged with defeating the ends of justice for allegedly “burning his clothing that contained the blood of the deceased”, according to the charge sheet.
He allegedly burnt his bloodied clothes in an open field, but claims he does not remember the exact spot.
Ndlozi is due back in court in three weeks when his trial date is expected to be set for the high court sitting in Delmas, Mpumalanga.
sidimbal@sowetan.co.za