They are accused of corruption by the bulls arrested with King Simphiwe Erick Zuma who confessed to the murder of the former DA councilor in Mngeni Municipality, Mr. Nhlalayenza Ndlovu.
Ndlovu’s family and DA leaders said the two bulls did not reveal the whole truth when they pleaded guilty at the District Court in Pietermaritzburg yesterday.
The family and DA leaders said they felt that these bullies were trying to protect some of the people involved in the case.
Thabo Mathonsi Chonco and Mr. Khayelihle Shabalala pleaded guilty to murdering Ndlovu.
Both suspects said they were not the shooters, but did not name the shooter.
In a sworn statement, Chonco said that he was in prison when Ndlovu was arrested, and he admitted that he was the one who hatched the plot to have him shot.
Shabalala admitted that he was there when Ndlovu was killed, but said that he did not shoot.
Chonco said that they were sent by the chief who has become a State witness, Mr. Zwelithini Buthelezi, to search for Ndlovu.
Chonco said Buthelezi told him that he wanted Ndlovu to be moved immediately, complaining that he was causing trouble.
Continuing in the letter read by his lawyer, Mr. Zipho Khanyile, Chonco said he was arrested before Ndlovu was arrested.
Chonco said that Buthelezi called him even when he was in prison, telling him that he wanted Ndlovu killed.
He said that’s when he contacted Shabalala, and ordered him to pick up Ndlovu.
Chonco said that after Ndlovu was nominated he was paid R30 000, he gave Shabalala R24 000.
Shabalala said they were told to kill a local drunkard who was selling land.
Shabalala said he saw on social media days later that they killed a famous person.
“After that I called Chonco, complaining that they didn’t explain to me that the person we are going to kill is famous. I wanted them to give me more money but Chonco stopped answering my calls after that.”
Chonco and Shabalala said they were sorry, and asked the court to be sympathetic when it handed down the sentence.
The case has been adjourned to August 11, when a decision will be made.
Ndlovu’s brother, Mr. Sithembiso Ndlovu, said that they do not want the case of his brother’s murder to be blamed on other people because there are those who are being protected.
“The thing that we want to prevent is that there are people who will be accused of the crime because here some people are being protected. We don’t want to rush to finish the case because here it is said that there are people who have been arrested.”
The brother of the deceased also complained about being detained without the lawyers of Ndlovu’s wife.
He said his brother’s wife’s lawyers were not informed about the progress of the case.
The Mngeni Municipality’s chief prosecutor, Mr. Thembelani Sikhakhane, said the confession of the accused left them confused.
King and Mr. Thobani Masobho Hlongwa continue to deny the charge.
Inkonsi and Hlongwa will return to court on September 4, where they will receive a summons summoning them to the High Court in Pietermaritzburg.
King will appear again at the District Court in Pietermaritzburg next week where he will hear if he can get bail for another murder case against him.
The court was supposed to decide on Tuesday whether to grant the king bail in the case of the murder of Mr. Xolani Ntombela, but the case was postponed to next Tuesday.
Magistrate Cannon complained that the electricity went out while he was writing the decision, and he lost everything he had written.
The king is also facing the case of the murder of the former prime minister of the Nxamalala tribe, in Mpendle, Mr. Qalokunye Zuma.
