Durban — The widow who allegedly hired a hitman to kill her husband, Durban metro cop Captain Zwelakhe Thomas Ntombela, told the Umlazi Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday that she pleaded not guilty and that there was no witness who could identify her and say she committed the crimes she is accused of.
Faith Nongcebo Ntombela, 43, asked for bail along with her two co-accused, Khulani Cele, an alleged hitman who is in prison for other crimes, and school principal Sithembiso Justice Khumalo, 53, of iMpumlana Primary. The trio are accused of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Captain Ntombela was gunned down in May while closing the gate of his home at Umlazi’s S section. He was taken to iSipingo Medical Towers where he died.
A hitman, Mandlenkosi Mzo Ntombela, was in August sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for killing Ntombela. Mzo allegedly revealed who had hired him.
Faith Ntombela’s lawyer, Ashwin Rughbeer, read out her affidavit in which she said her release would not be a danger to anyone and that she would comply with all bail conditions.
She said: “I have no valid passport and I have no family members outside the country. My family resides in Umlazi and I will be relying on them. I have no previous convictions and no pending cases against me.”
She asked the court to give her a list of witnesses should she get bail so that she knew who to talk to and not to talk to. “There are no compelling reasons for me to be kept in custody,” she said.
Khumalo’s lawyer, Nomfundo Mthethwa, told the court Khumalo was a breadwinner for his family and that he earned R29 000 as a principal.
“If I am in custody I stand a great chance of losing my job and all my other extra income businesses that I have started. I stand to lose everything. I’m also an active leader in my community,” said Khumalo.
He said he had no intention of interfering with witnesses and that his release would not pose any danger to society or the investigation of the matter. He told the court that he could afford R1 000 bail.
State prosecutor S Nhlanhla asked the court to adjourn Cele's hearing until January 30, next year for indictment. Nhlanhla asked the court to postpone the matter to December 8 because there had been delays in the morning as there was load shedding and that there was not enough time for the case to continue as the investigating officer was to take a stand.
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