Wife to plead guilty for murder of cop husband
Durban — The Scottsburgh High Court will today (Friday) hear the guilty plea of the widow of a Durban metro police officer who allegedly hired a hitman to kill her husband.
On Thursday, Faith Ntombela, 43, an uMlazi court employee, appeared in the Durban High Court where this indication was made.
Metro police Captain Zwelakhe Thomas Ntombela, 50, was shot and killed in his uMlazi home by hitman Mandlenkosi Mzo Ntombela, allegedly hired by his wife in April last year.
Mzo was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment in August by the Durban High Court, where he revealed who sent him to kill Captain Ntombela.
Faith is alleged to have been assisted by her co-accused, primary school principal Sithembiso Justice Khumalo, 53, in finding a hitman to kill her husband.
Khumalo allegedly connected Faith and their other co-accused Khulekani Cele, 45, who is in Ebongweni C-Max prison in Kokstad for murder.
Faith will be without her co-accused at Scottburgh today (Friday) as Cele is only willing to plead on some of the counts against them, while Khumalo is also not pleading to all of the counts.
The State was yet to receive Cele’s plea statement. All three of the accused are charged with murder and two counts of the Contravention of the Firearms Controls Act.
Faith alone is additionally charged with two counts of theft and defeating the ends of justice, and theft of her husband’s gun, which she allegedly handed over to kill her husband.
On Thursday, senior State prosecutor advocate Krishen Shah indicated that Cele’s defence could not be in court.
“When it comes to accused one (Faith) we have reached consensus and the State asks for allocation of a judge,” said Shah.
Judge Jacqueline Henriques adjourned the further pre-trial conference of Cele and Khumalo to October.
The matter stood down for Faith to return to the dock alone to hear when her plea would be heard. Cele, from KwaMaphumulo, is allegedly a dangerous hitman who has organised hitmen for criminals while in jail.
It’s alleged that prior to the incident, Faith commenced a romantic relationship with Cele and at some stage requested Cele and Khumalo and others to murder her husband in exchange for money and a Suzuki.
Meanwhile, in November, a primary school teacher and her lover are to stand trial for the murder of the teacher’s husband.
eThekwini firefighter Richard Jabulani Mchunu was shot and killed by assailants at his Luganda home, just outside Pinetown, in April 2022.
He was killed by a hitman enlisted by his wife, 50-year-old Gugu Mchunu, allegedly with the help of her lover and co-accused, 30-year-old Lindani Phungula.
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