Durban — Two teens charged with the murder and kidnapping of an off-duty police officer who was torched in the boot of his car during the 2021 July unrest will go on trial in the Durban High Court in August.
Mariannhill SAPS member Zolani Leadus Zuma allegedly died at the hands of men he had confronted for transporting people and their looted goods during the unrest in Tshelimnyama.
Mzikayifani “Kayelihle” Ndebele,18, faces two counts of attempted murder and one of murder. Sibusiso Ndlela,19 is charged with kidnapping.
The State alleges that Ndlela kidnapped Zuma while Ndebele is alleged to have killed Zuma near Milky Way Road, a murder that is alleged to have been premeditated.
On Thursday the pre-trial conference for the two teens was heard by Judge Kate Pillay and the matter was certified trial ready for August 21.
It’s alleged that Zuma, an off-duty policeman, had been driving in his car which was a blue VW polo dressed in civilian clothes on the night of July 13 during the height of the looting unrest in KZN.
While driving he came across Ndebele and the assailants who were helping people transport looted goods in a car that Mthembu was allegedly driving, and he followed them to a house in Tshelimnyama.
At the house, the officer confronted Mthembu and the assailants, producing his state firearm.
At the time of his kidnapping, Zuma’s friends and family took to social media to seek the public’s help in finding him.
Meanwhile, KZN police are still searching for Irshad Asif, 37, in relation to a murder allegedly committed during the unrest in Verulam.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said Verulam police were investigating three counts of murder and three of attempted following the incident in which six people were allegedly shot on July 12, 2021, in Verulam.
“Three victims succumbed to their gunshot wounds, whereas the other three survived. Police are searching for Irshad Asif, 37, whose warrant of arrest was issued by the court,” said Netshiunda.
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