Captain Bonginkosi Dlamini, Sibongile Ndlovu, and her husband, Felokwakhe Ndlovu, Captain Khephu Ndlovu, and the couple’s son, Lindokuhle Ndlovu, were convicted of defeating the ends of justice.
Image: Nomonde Zondi
The hospitalisation of Lindokuhle Ndlovu, who is convicted alongside two senior police officers, has delayed sentence proceedings in their corruption and defeating the administration of justice case.
The two former senior officers, detective Bonginkosi Dlamini and retired Lieutenant Colonel Khephu Ndlovu, accepted a bribe of R120,000 from Ndlovu’s stepmother, Sibongile Ndlovu, to weaken evidence in the 2018 murder case of Thulani Nxumalo.
Sibongile wanted her husband, Felokwakhe ‘Induna’ Ndlovu, to be acquitted in Nxumalo’s murder. Nxumalo was an ANC branch leader at KwaNdengezi and Felokwakhe's cousin. Nxumalo was assassinated due to his opposition to Felokwakhe's illegal land sales.
However, things didn’t go as expected; they were all arrested by the Political Killings Task Team, and Felokwakhe was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Durban High Court in May 2023.
Dlamini was the investigating officer in Nxumalo’s murder case, while Khephu Ndlovu acted as the intermediary between Dlamini and the couple. Khephu was a senior officer in the SAPS Visible Policing Unit at Bhekithemba police station. The exchange of the bribe money took place at the Durban Central police station. Lindokuhle was convicted of concealing the firearm that was used to kill Nxumalo.
On Tuesday morning, the Pinetown Regional Court was expected to proceed with sentence proceedings. However, advocate Lawrence Gcaba, the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, told the court that Lindokuhle is hospitalised and the matter cannot proceed as he is not present in court.
Felokwakhe Ndlovu ordered a hit on ANC branch leader Thulani Nxumalo. He is currently serving a life imprisonment for the murder.
Image: Tumi Pakkies / Independent Newspapers
“Secondly, there was an issue when a request for accused four (Lt. Colonel Ndlovu) was made. Correctional Services requested a court order for such,” he explained.
After they were convicted in March 2025 and the sentence proceedings began, the retired Lieutenant Colonel fired his lawyer advocate, Andrew Matlamela. He hired Advocate John-Paul Broster, who is also Dlamini's lawyer.
He then indicated that he would testify during mitigation of sentence and was awaiting his medical records. Gcaba asked for the matter to be postponed to April to allow Lindokuhle's situation to improve.
Magistrate Muntukayise Khumalo postponed the matter to early April for sentence proceedings.