PASTOR MBUMBULU from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who is in the country illegally, accused of attempted murder among others, is of sound mind. This was said by the magistrate yesterday, when the man, Mr. Fulgence Ninubona (34), appeared at the Durban Magistrate’s Court.
Ninubona is accused of trying to kill Ms. Nomthandazo Mbhele and her daughter, who are related to artist Pastor Mjosty in an incident that happened last Thursday, in Bluff, Durban. In the incident, it is said that the suspect raided the residence of the victims, stabbing them repeatedly.
According to the law, Ninubona was supposed to greet the magistrate on Monday, however it happened as it turned out that the Wentworth hospital said that they will keep him for another 72 hours to assess his mental state, as he showed signs of confusion after being admitted there due to injuries to his hands, which is believed to have been self-inflicted. The court after entering his case, he was not present on Monday, then decided that it needs him to appear in front of it yesterday.
Appearing yesterday, the state prosecutor, Mr. Calvin Govender, read to him the four charges against him. Among them, he said, there was an attempt to kill Ms. Mbhele, an attempt to kill her 16-year-old daughter, a violation of a restraining order, and being in the country illegally.
Govender also clarified that according to the latest investigation, it indicates that Ninubona is not from Burundi, as it appeared before but he is from the DRC. Magistrate Scelo Zuma then asked Ninubona whether she would get a paid lawyer, government or independent.
He replied: “I’m asking for the government”. A lawyer from Legal Aid went to talk to him for a moment, and told the court that the suspect says he is rejecting the bail request.
Zuma then said: “Looking at what is happening in the court right now, the suspect being able to talk well with his lawyer and also showing that he understands everything that is being said, assisted by a translator in his own language, shows that his mind is working so the court decides that he should continue to face the case”.
Continuing Zuma, he said he wants an investigation into how the hospital came to the point where it ended up keeping him there saying that he is mentally challenged because he appears to be healthy. Before Zuma adjourned the case to September 8 this year, Govender agreed with him that the actions of the hospital will be investigated, and he said that some of the investigations that are still missing include witness statements as well as the hospital’s report.
According to the investigator of the case, the suspect was taken to the hospital for an injury to his hands, and when the case continued yesterday, Zuma said that he did not show his hands to the court to see if he was really injured. Of course, stitches can be seen that go from the thumbs, to the palms of both hands. Outside the court, a member of the victim’s family, Mr. Thembelihle Mbhele, said they were happy that the suspect finally appeared before the court.
“The court said that after asking him questions, checking if he is healthy, it turned out that everything is fine, he is in good health. We are pleased with the way the court acted,” said Mbhele.
He said they were surprised that it turned out that he is actually from the Congo. He mentioned that they are not happy with what the Brighton Beach police have done by allowing the hospital to do what they want with the suspect who was a prisoner of the State.
“He was taken to the hospital to bandage the wounds on his hands, and he was finally given 72 hours for them to check his mental state, which ended, and we said that the hospital would give him another 72 hours, and then they took him to Fort Napier, which is unacceptable, even the court was attacked by the issue of his own decision-making. We are thankful that the court has fixed all that and we are happy,” he said.
The leader of the March and March against illegal immigrants, Mrs. Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, said what they are waiting for are the answers that a person admitted to the hospital with injured hands, how does the hospital come to the decision that he is mentally ill?
“It helped us to push for him to come to court because the hospital is already making arrangements for him to be taken to Fort Napier. What was the method they followed that caused him not to appear in court as expected yesterday?” said Mrs. Ngobese-Zuma.
He said they are still shocked by Ms Mbhele’s recovery, especially because she was stabbed in the head. He stressed that what they expect is for the suspect to plead guilty, be given a harsh sentence, go to jail, and when the sentence is over, his country will prepare the money to pick him up when he gets out.