Murderer jailed for life
2012-12-13 21:22
Johannesburg - A KwaZulu-Natal man was jailed for life by
the KwaZulu-Natal High Court sitting in Dukuza on Thursday for killing a woman, police said.
Simphiwe Steven Khumalo was found guilty of killing
70-year-old Thombi Mthabela on 21 February, said police spokesperson Jay
Naicker.
He was also convicted of possessing an unlicensed firearm
and ammunition.
Mthabela was on her way home around 15:00 from a shop in
Ngulule, north of Empangeni, when she was approached by Khumalo.
"Khumalo accused her of witchcraft and theft of a
goat belonging to his family," said Naicker.
"He then produced a firearm and shot Mthabela
several times in her upper body and fled the scene on foot."
Mthabela died on the scene. Khumalo was arrested later
and his firearm seized.
"The firearm used was... sent for ballistics testing
and the results positively linked the suspect to the killing," said
Naicker.
- SAPA
