The ILLNESS of Lindokuhle Ndlovu, one of the defendants, led to the postponement of his sentencing as well as four others, including two police officers, at the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
They were convicted of corruption and obstruction of justice last year.
The police officers, Bonginkosi Dlamini and Khephu Ndlovu were bribed with R120 000 by Lindokuhle’s stepmother, Sibongile Ndlovu, who was also convicted of this case, to influence the evidence in the case of the murder of Mr. Thulani Nxumalo in 2018.
Sibongile wanted her husband, who was convicted of the same crime, Felokwakhe Ndlovu to come forward in the case of killing Nxumalo.
Nxumalo was Felokwakhe’s cousin and he was the leader of the ANC branch in Ndengezi.
Things did not go according to plan as they were all arrested by the team investigating the killing of politicians in KwaZulu-Natal. The Durban High Court, found him guilty of murdering Felokwakhe, and sentenced him to life in prison in May 2023. Before he was sentenced, it emerged that Nxumalo did not agree with Felokwakhe’s sale of land, which was illegal.
In that case Dlamini was the investigator and Khephu worked as a liaison between Dlamini, Sibongile and Felokwakhe.
Khephu was a senior police officer in the Visible Policing Unit at Bekithemba Police Station, Mlaza.
The exchange of bribes took place at the Durban Central Police Station. Lindokuhle was convicted of hiding the gun that was used to kill Nxumalo.
On Tuesday, the Pinetown District Court was expected to proceed with the sentencing but the state prosecutor, Advocate Lawrence Gcaba, who is the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions in the province, told the court that Lindokuhle was admitted to the hospital and thus the sentencing will not continue.
“Secondly, there was a problem when there was a request from the fourth defendant (Khephu). The Department of Corrections asked the court to issue a decision on that,” said Gcaba.
After they were convicted in March last year, the process for their sentencing began. Suddenly, Khephu fired his lawyer, Adv Andrew Matlamela. He then hired Adv John-Paul Broster, who is also Dlamini’s lawyer.
He then indicated that he would testify when the time came for him to ask for a lesser sentence, and said that he was still waiting for his health records.
Gcaba asked for it to be postponed to April this year so that Lindokuhle’s condition would improve.
Magistrate Muntukayise Khumalo then adjourned the case until April to proceed with the sentencing.