Primary school principal allegedly ‘assisted’ widow of slain metro cop to find hitman to kill her husband
and |Published
Durban — iMpumlana Primary School principal Sithembiso Justice Khumalo, 53, is alleged to be the one who assisted Faith Ntombela in finding a hitman to kill her husband, Durban metro cop Captain Zwelakhe Ntombela.
Ntombela was gunned down in his home while closing a gate at the uMlazi S section in May. He was taken to iSipingo Medical Towers, where he died.
Khumalo appeared in the uMlazi Magistrate’s Court for the first time on Monday alongside Faith, and Khulani Cele, a hitman who is currently behind bars for other offences. Khumalo was arrested on Friday by Hawks members from Durban Serious Organised Crime Investigation. Cele is alleged to be deploying hitmen while in prison. Allegedly anyone who needs a hitman will come to him, and Cele will say who from his men will carry out the assassination.
It is alleged that Khumalo found it easy to get to Cele as he is his “homeboy”. Furthermore, it is alleged that the car that was used by the hitman who pulled the trigger, Mandlenkosi Mzo Ntombela, was kept at Khumalo’s home. Mzo is further alleged to have made it clear that he and Khumalo were the ones who went to fetch the getaway car at Faith’s home in uMlazi.
It is also alleged that two firearms were found in his home. One belonged to Captain Ntombela and the other was used to kill him. The hitman Mzo was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment in August after spilling the beans on who hired him to kill Captain Ntombela.
The sister publication of the “Daily News”, “Isolezwe”, reported that when Khumalo arrived in court on Monday morning he was wearing a black mask and sunglasses and he looked like someone who was deep in thought. The principal is said to be living a luxurious life, but it is not clear how he is maintaining his lifestyle. Magistrate Ngcobo postponed the case to November 29 to allow Faith and Khumalo to apply for bail.
Faith had previously abandoned her bail application, citing that she was not feeling safe. However, her lawyer, Ashwin Rughbeer, was not impressed with this, saying that his client had been in custody for a while.
WhatsApp your views on this story at 071 485 7995.
Daily News