A MAN who was found to be behind a series of robberies and a murder allegedly sparked as a result of his girlfriend being fired from her job, was jailed for life plus a total of 35 years on Friday.
Acting Judge Themba Mjoli, sitting with an assessor, found there were no compelling or substantial circumstances to justify less than the prescribed minimum sentences for the accused, Khaylihle Ndlovu (27).
The court acquitted Ndlovu’s former co-accused — his girlfriend, Zanele Cynthia Zondi (35) — of involvement in the offences, even though it was accepted that the crimes were allegedly the result of her being dismissed from her job by her employer, Dr Njabulo Ntombelo.
The court found there was insufficient evidence to directly link Zondi to the crimes.
According to the proven evidence, Ndlovu was found to have arranged for “agents” to carry out a robbery at the the home of the doctor in Voortrekker Street in Greytown.
The men took R50 000 cash and held up Nomthanduzo Ngcobo at gunpoint during the robbery on October 10, 2008 .
Thereafter the court found that Ndlovu and his co-assailants had targeted another woman, Nonhlanhla Muntuza Mthethwa, who Zondi allegedly suspected of being responsible for getting her fired.
Ndlovu and others went to a house in Jabula Road intending to attack Mthethwa on February 11, 2009, but found that they were at the wrong address.
They thereafter proceeded to rob the occupants of the house in question — Sandile and Nkosinathi Danisa — anyway, and made off with two cellphones and a playstation.
On March 20, 2009 the assailants went to Mthethwa’s correct address at E712 Khombo Road and opened fire on her and her companions in the house.
In the process, Fikile Mthembu was shot dead and Nonhlanhla, Thembeni and Albertina Mthembu were injured.
Nonhlanhla, who ended up in a wheelchair as a result of her injuries, died three years later.
Although the state did not prove she died as a result of her injuries, family members who attended the trial told The Witness she’d never got over the shooting and said they had no doubt it ultimately caused her death.
A relative, Busisekile Ntuli, said she’d had to take over guardianship of Nonhlanhla’s young daughter, who is only nine.
Thembekile Mthembu (sister of the murder victim) and Ntuli both expressed their unhappiness that Zondi was acquitted.
They added that although Ndlovu was jailed for life, nothing could bring their loved ones back.
