EX-MINER KILLED BY ‘JEALOUS’ COUSIN

NGUDZENI – A 37-year-old ex-miner was viciously bludgeoned to death, in an apparent hate crime fuelled by jealousy.

Ntokozo Mkhumane of Ngudzeni was certified dead upon arrival at the Hlatikhulu Government Hospital, where he was taken to by the police with serious gash wounds to his head, which were allegedly inflicted by his paternal cousin; who was wielding a knobkerrie.

The deceased was allegedly attacked by Mbongeni Mkhumane (33), also from the same area, who was later arrested by the police, with the help of the local community policing forum.
Before the incident, the suspect is said to have found his deceased cousin next to a local popular watering hole, while walking with a female companion.
It later transpired, that the woman who was in the company of the deceased, was the attacker’s live-in lover.

Mbongeni was apparently angered by seeing the two walking together, at an odd hour.
The time was around 8pm when the confrontation occurred.
Witnesses told this publication that the suspect first enquired why the deceased was walking with his ‘wife’, at such an odd hour.
Prior to the incident, it is alleged that the suspect had warned the deceased to give a wide berth to his woman.

An altercation ensued, leading to a fist fight. In that skirmish, the suspect used a knobkerrie he was carrying to beat his cousin.
Ntokozo brutally met his death after he was hit several times on the head with the knobkerrie.
He sustained serious injuries, which eventually culminated to his death.
There were several people who witnessed the incident.
Forum
They called members of the area’s community policing forum when they realised that the situation was becoming bad.
Ntsabayi Simelane, one of the area’s community police, said efforts to intervene by onlookers hit a snag as the perpetrator overpowered them.
The two relatives were fighting in the presence of the woman.
Simelane told this publication that he called some of his colleagues, who assisted in apprehending the suspect.
He said they handed the suspect over to the police, who had arrived at the scene after a hurried call.
“There is no much detail I can give, except to say that there was a fight over a woman. The woman used to stay with the man who we later apprehended,” he said.
Simelane said there was no much time to take details from the people who tried to separate the two, “because there was the crucial issue of a person who needed urgent medical attention in their midst.”
Critical
He said police arrived while Ntokozo was in a very critical condition.
Superintendent Wendy Hleta, Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the incident.
“Hlatikhulu police arrested and charged a 33-year-old man of Ngudzeni in connection with the murder of a 37-year-old man of the same area, whom it is alleged that he hit with a knob-stick several times on the head, while at Ngudzeni area. “The victim was seriously injured and rushed to Hlatikhulu Government Hospital where he was certified dead,” Hleta said.
The deceased is survived by his father, younger brother and his elder sister.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: