July unrest: shot officer stuffed in boot, torched
THE Durban High Court will hear the details behind the kidnapping and murder of an off-duty police officer who was torched in the boot of his car, allegedly by men he had confronted for transporting people and their looted goods during the July unrest.
An 18-year-old and a 19-year-old appeared in court yesterday, where the matter was adjourned to a later date for a pre-trial conference.
Mzikayifani “Kayelihle” Ndebele, 18, faces two counts of attempted murder and one of murder, while Sibusiso Ndlela, 19, is charged with kidnapping.
Ndebele is alleged to have attempted to kill Zolani Leadus Zuma and Afrika Mthembu by shooting them in Tshelimnyama, Mariannhill. This is while Ndlela is alleged to have kidnapped Zuma on the same day.
The State alleges Ndebele killed Zuma near Milkyway Road, a murder alleged to have been premeditated.
In court, Legal Aid defence attorney R Marimuthu, representing the two accused, said from what he gathered, they would require separate counsel.
Judge Thoba Poyo-dlwati adjourned the matter to later this month, saying that closer to the time it would be clear who was representing Ndebele and Ndlela. She said the pretrial conference was to sort out issues pertaining to the trial.
It’s alleged Zuma, an off-duty policeman, had been driving in his blue VW Polo in civilian clothes on the night of July 13 during the height of the looting unrest in Kwazulu-natal.
While driving, he came across Ndebele and the assailants, who were helping people transport looted goods in a car Mthembu was allegedly driving. The policeman followed them to a house in Tshelimnyama.
At the house, the officer confronted Mthembu and the assailants, producing his State firearm.
“He was waylaid by Mthembu and accused 1 (Ndebele), who dispossessed him of his firearm. Accused 1 (Ndebele) fired shots at him, and in the process, Mthembu was also shot and injured,” alleges the State.
Zuma, injured, remained on the ground as the group decided what to do, and soon afterwards, Mthembu’s son Lungelo, accused 2 (Ndlela), and others arrived, and it was resolved that Mthembu be taken to St Mary’s Hospital for treatment.
He was taken to hospital by Ndebele, Ndlela and other assailants. Once there, Ndebele remained behind with Mthembu and others while Ndlela and others returned to the shooting scene.
“At the scene, the assailants decided that the deceased be killed by placing him in his vehicle and setting it alight. Accused 2 (Ndlela) was then assisted by others to place the injured deceased into black refuse bags and he was loaded into the boot of his vehicle,” alleges the State.
It is alleged Ndlela had been with others in Zuma’s vehicle, while the other assailants followed in Mthembu’s car. “They drove to Milkyway Road where they set alight the deceased’s vehicle, with him still inside the boot.”