Hammer falls on brutal Nongoma hitman
A HITMAN accused of killing six people, including Nongoma councillor Thami Nyembe, was convicted on all counts by the eSikhaleni Regional Court on Monday.
Fisokuhle Ntuli was accused of killing Sandisa Mahlobo in April 2015, Bheki Nyembe in May 2016, Phiwayinkosi Zulu, Mcebisi Zuluand Sibusiso Elvis Zulu in January 2017, and Sphamandla Zungu in August 2018.
He was also convicted of the attempted murder of Nolwazi Nyembe, the wife of Thami Nyembe, as well as four cases of possession of unlicenced firearms and ammunition.
One of the firearms found in his possession was stolen from a policeman in Ezibeleni in Queenstown in 2011.
At the sentencing hearing on Tuesday, the defence team requested that a pre-sentencing report from a parole officer and a social worker be presented to the court before judgement was handed down.
The judge granted the request and Ntuli is expected to reappear in court on 9 December for sentencing.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said they welcomed the convictions.
Ntuli was arrested in August 2018 after a KZN task team comprising senior public prosecutors, Saps detectives, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks), forensic experts and Crime Intelligence began investigating him following the shooting of the Nyembe couple in 2016.
‘Following intensive investigations by the team, Ntuli was linked to all murder cases. ‘Ntuli's reign of terror was not only in the Nongoma area, but he was also a person of interest in several other cases in Gauteng, many of which were murders, including that of Senzo Meyiwa,' said Brigadier Naidoo.