Durban — The 27-year-old woman whose body was found tossed into a ditch near the yard of her boyfriend’s neighbour had been dating the man accused of killing her for five months.
This was according to the sister of Lindokuhle Mbhele, who spoke to the Daily News outside the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday where Ntokozo Brian Khumalo made his second appearance.
Khumalo, who was arrested on September 4, was not in court but appeared on a screen monitor from Westville Prison via the AVR (audio visual remand) system.
According to his charge sheet, he abandoned bail when he first appeared in court on September 6.
The State in the matter alleges that on August 31, Khumalo unlawfully and intentionally killed Mbhele by stabbing her.
It’s alleged that Mbhele’s body was found in a ditch near the yard of Khumalo’s neighbour on September 2 after he had phoned the neighbour telling him that he had killed Mbhele.
Khumalo was no longer in the area of Tshelimnyama, where he had been living with his brother.
Inside court, State prosecutor Nomcebo Xulu said DNA results were outstanding from investigations.
She said the post-mortem report as well as the plea and confession on the J88 had been filed.
“DNA results are outstanding; since the body was found decomposed, DNA had to be taken. Samples have been sent for testing,” she said.
The matter was adjourned to a later date.
Outside court, Mbhele’s older sister, Ntokozo Mbhele, said her sister had left their Tshelimnyama home on August 31 to go to her boyfriend’s house in the same area.
“We were expecting her home in the afternoon, but she did not return. When I arrived home from work and asked where Lindo was I was told she had gone to Khumalo’s house to take some medication to him. I asked whether she had said she would be sleeping there and everyone said Lindo said she was coming back and not sleeping at Khumalo’s house.”
Ntokozo said later that evening she phoned the accused, asking the whereabouts of her sister, and he said he did not know where she was.
“He then came to us and said maybe we should go to the police because he was also worried about her. He left and that was the last time we ever saw him until he appeared in court. Her body was found in a ditch just above the house neighbouring where he lived with his brother.”
She said her sister was a hairdresser and had no children, and had plans to open her own hair salon.
“Soon after their relationship started he laid his hands on her in April and she was wounded. They broke up after this but got back together because she loved him. While I don’t have any details on the nature of their relationship, my younger sister said Lindo once confided in her saying the relationship was abusive and the accused was controlling.”
Ntokozo said no amount of justice could bring the family closure given the manner in which she was killed.
“We are broken as a family over how this happened; we saw her body and the state it was in and it added to how we are torn inside. He deserves a life sentence for what he did so that we don’t ever see him outside. My hopes are the justice system plays its part.”
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Daily News