Durban — The induna in the trial concerning the murder of Thulani Nxumalo, an ANC branch leader at KwaNdengezi, vowed that he had nothing to do with his killing at the Durban High Court on Thursday.
He further denied knowing anything about a firearm used to kill Nxumalo. Felokwakhe Ndlovu, 49, who is an induna in the area, also denied being with his co-accused on the day Nxumalo was killed, September 3, 2018. The first accused, Ndlovu, was in the dock.
He is accused alongside Nkosiyanda Ndlovu, and Nkosinathi Mbambo, both 26. The trio are accused of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful possession of firearms and unlawful possession of ammunition.
Nxumalo was slain while he was approaching his home, after climbing out of his friend’s vehicle.
Furthermore, the State alleges that Ndlovu killed Nxumalo because he was investigating him for selling land illegally. The State revealed that there were allegations in the area that Ndlovu was selling land, and that people had once burned tyres because of this.
State advocate Lawrence Gcaba asked Ndlovu if he had been to a butchery called Mangabantu, but he said no. Gcaba proceeded to ask him about the day Nxumalo was shot. He said that state witness Celani Dlamini had told the court that he was with Ndlovu on the fateful day.
“I was not with him, because I did not know when Nxumalo was shot,” answered Ndlovu. He continued that he only found out the following day that Nxumalo had been fatally shot.
“I only knew the following day, when my wife told me. She said she received a phone call the previous night,” he said.
The Nxumalo and the Ndlovu families are distant relatives. Furthermore, Gcaba pulled out a confession from Ndlovu’s co-accused. He read Mbambo’s statement to the court, where he admitted knowing Nxumalo, and further said he was shot seven times.
He said after that they went to Mangabantu to eat braai meat.
“Nduna received a call that the gun had been found and had been given to his wife,” read the statement.
Moreover, the statement said that Nkosiyanda was collected by Mbambo and he had a white plastic (bag) that contained a black pistol from induna. It further said that Nkosiyanda admitted to them at Mangabantu that he had shot Nxumalo. He said after the job was done and before going to eat meat, they had to take (the weapon) back to Ndlovu’s house.
“We slipped it into an empty space in an outbuilding at his home,” read the statement.
Ndlovu denied all of this, even when Gcaba reminded him that there was a witness – a friend of his son, Lindokuhle – who had been arrested with that pistol.
“When Siphephelo Ndlovu testified in court, he said he had been given the gun by your son. He was arrested for that gun, which was found with him,” said Gcaba.
When Siphephelo testified previously, he told the court he kept the gun for his friend Lindokuhle, who told him it belonged to his dad. Ndlovu continued to deny all of this.
Gcaba read Nkosiyanda’s confession, where he said he had received a call from Ndlovu on Monday morning at 9.30am asking him to come and see him. Nkosiyanda said he went to Ndlovu’s home in his brother’s car.
He said they went to fetch Nkosi at KwaNyuswa. Furthermore, he said Ndlovu’s son came with a white plastic (bag) which contained a black pistol. “Nduna opened it and we saw it,” read the statement.
Ndlovu denied being with both his co-accused that day, but admitted to knowing the car that Nkosiyanda was driving that day. Gcaba further reminded Ndlovu that Dlamini had testified and said he was asked by Ndlovu to drive him home fast because his co-accused had placed a firearm carelessly and he wanted to get home before the cops.
Ndlovu responded; “That never happened. I never said that.”
The trial continues on Friday (today). The three are still in custody
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