Robin-Lee Francke
Cape Town - The two men who were paid to murder a 79-year-old woman from the Eastern Cape have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Eastern Cape High Court sitting in Mbizana.
Mzoxolo Mpanda, 27, and Mluleki Madikizela, 35, were convicted and sentenced for the murder of Ntombizodwa Kekela after her neighbour accused her of practising witchcraft.
The court heard the neighbour, Mhlanyukwa Msongelwa, 60, paid Mpanda and Madikizela, along with their accomplice, Nathi Njilo, 23, R250 000 and a cow to have the grandmother killed.
Njilo switched sides and became a state witness in terms of Section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act.
According to evidence before the court, in May 2019, Msongelwa’s daughter-in-law died from natural causes.
Following the death, Msongelwa consulted a local traditional healer who told him Kekela was the cause of his daughter-in-law’s death.
It was after this that he approached Njilo to kill Kekela on his behalf and promised four bottles of brandy as payment for the deed.
However, Njilo was not too satisfied with the method of payment and informed the unknowing grandmother of the plans to have her murdered, along with the allegations of witchcraft.
Further evidence before the court was that Kekela reported the matter to the traditional leader who fined Msongelwa an amount of R1 500 for labelling her as a witch.
But, the fine did not deter Msongelwa’s need to have the grandmother murdered and as soon as he got his pension payout from the mines, he increased the payment for the hit on Kekela – R250 000 and a cow.
On the day of the murder, May 12, 2019, Kukela was attacked while sleeping in her home with her daughter and grandchildren.
Msongelwa has since died of a stroke in prison while awaiting trial.
Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Barry Madolo welcomed the sentence against the duo and lauded the investigating team and the prosecutor for ensuring perpetrators of gender-based violence are given harsh sentences.
IOL