Jealous man punished for killing ex-mother-in-law

AN eShowe man has been sentenced to life plus 18 years for murder, kidnapping and assault GBH.

Zamani Zulu (39) will serve an effective life sentence after being convicted by Eshowe Regional Court on Wednesday.

He was also sentenced for the unlawful possession of a firearm.

The court heard how Zulu's former girlfriend and the mother of his child left him owing to his abusive behaviour, and subsequently became involved in a new relationship.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara explained that on 3 December 2021, Zulu kidnapped his ex-fiancé and took her to an abandoned house where he assaulted her in an attempt to coerce her into taking him back. She refused him.

Zulu threatened her, saying if she refused to take him back, he would kill either their child or her mother to get back at her.

On 12 December 2021, the woman's new boyfriend went to her house to pay lobola for her. Following successful negotiations, she went to Durban.

“Around midday, Zulu went to the victim’s house looking for her and was told she was not there," said Ramkisson-Kara.

“He became hostile towards her siblings but left the house, promising to return. At around 9pm, Zulu returned to the house and demanded the occupants open the gate for him. When they refused, he jumped over the fence and pulled out a firearm, threatening his ex-girlfriend's siblings.

“He demanded his lobola be returned from the victim’s mother. She told him she did not have a problem doing so, but asked that he come back with the lobola negotiators he had brought at the time. Zulu became more furious and told the woman she was fooling him, and approached her with the firearm.

“The woman ran away from him, but he caught up with her, held the firearm to the back of her head and shot her in the presence of her children, and then left.

“The following day, the police received information that Zulu was at his homestead and when they arrived, they found he had poisoned himself. The firearm was lying next to him. He was rushed to hospital where he regained consciousness and was arrested,” said Ramkisson-Kara.

In court, Regional Court prosecutor Russell Mngoma handed in a victim impact statement compiled by the complainant and facilitated by court preparation officer Amanda Nxumalo.

In her statement, the complainant said her siblings have been mentally scarred by the incident and are haunted by the events that took place. She said the children are struggling to cope.

Zulu was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 10 years for the unlawful possession of a firearm, five years for kidnapping, and three for assault GBH.

He will serve an effective life imprisonment and the court declared him unfit to possess a firearm.