Cop's family shot in head

2008-05-26 17:01

Grahamstown - The mother and young daughters of a former policeman charged with their murders had each been shot twice in the head, the Grahamstown High Court heard on Monday.

Appearing before Judge Jean Nepgen was Zuko Alby Njobe, 36, formerly of the SAPS married quarters at Moses Madiba, near Kirkwood.

He has pleaded not guilty to the murders of his wife Nomthandazo, 28, and his daughters, Liyema two, and Sinovuyo, aged five, on May 24, last year.

Njobe allegedly shot and killed the three as they sat watching television, and then attempted to commit suicide by shooting himself in the back of the head.

Njobe claimed that another man shot his wife and two daughters and then shot him.

Forensic pathologist Dr Dave Kalev told the court on Monday he had conducted the post mortem autopsies on the three victims at the Gelvandale mortuary.

The woman had been shot twice at close range.

"She had been shot in the face from a distance of about five to six centimetres. The first shot creased her scalp and the second in her face had an exit wound at the base of the skull," Kalev testified.

"There was also a bullet wound to the right hand which the victim had instinctively put in front of her face, before the shot was fired."

Kalev said the younger daughter (Liyema) died as a result of two perforating gunshot wounds to the back of the head, one of which severed her spinal cord, killing her instantly.

He estimated the shots were fired from a distance of not less than 25cm away. Her sister (Sinovuyo) had been shot in a similar manner, but from the front.

Police ballistics expert Inspector Gideon Olivier told the court he received four spent 9mm shell casings from the crime scene, and had test fired Njobe's CZ 88 service issue 9mm pistol.

"I was able to match two of the shell casings to the pistol, but the other two were too badly damaged to make a positive match," he said.

The trial continues.

- SAPA