Durban — The trial of a teen charged with murder, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice is set to be heard in the Durban High Court in February next year.
She is charged in connection with the 2020 kidnapping and murders of mom Smangele Simamane and 12-year-old Sbongakonke Mthembu.
Two other women have been sentenced for their roles in the murders. The teen elected to plead guilty to the crimes before the trial began.
Slindile Pamela Zamisa and her daughter Andile Zamisa were sentenced in May. Slindile was handed two life sentences, one for each murder. Andile was also sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Simamane.
They were each sentenced to five years for kidnapping Sbongakonke, five years for kidnapping Simamane, life imprisonment for killing her, and six years for defeating the ends of justice by concealing evidence. The sentences were to run concurrently.
During the trial, the court heard evidence of how a relative’s prophecy that Simamane had a hand in the murder of Zamisa’s (Slindile’s) late husband Bheki Ngcobo fuelled the assault on Simamane. She had four kettles of boiling water poured on her body, was strangled with a rope, and had a shovel pressed against her neck.
This was while Zamisa had pressed her foot on the neck of Sbonga. Evidence was that this all transpired in the Zamisa home in October 2020.
The court heard that Zamisa, her stepdaughter Nomfundo True Love Ngcobo, Andile and the teenager took part in the assault. It heard how Zamisa’s boyfriend, Sthembiso Lamula, had helped them dispose of the bodies.
The bodies were discovered in a suitcase in Lwandle Drive, KwaDabeka.
The court heard this evidence from Ngcobo as well as Lamula, who have been convicted and are already serving time for their part in the kidnapping and murders.
On May 5 the teenager tendered her plea, detailing events that led to the death of the mother and child. However, the judge did not accept it and wanted a trial to take place.
On Thursday, Simamane’s husband Senzo said that he would be attending the teen’s trial.
“I hope that justice will prevail when the trial comes to an end.”
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Daily News