Durban — The bail application of four men alleged to have kidnapped, stoned, and killed a woman accusing her of witchcraft is set to continue in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday (today).
In January Nontlahla Matoso was taken from her Malacca Road informal settlement home, allegedly by her neighbour and three other armed men after they had assaulted her in front of her children and their father, Bongani Sgwebela, accusing her of witchcraft.
Earlier this month the bail applications of Bongani Zulu, Phiwenkosi Myeni, Sakhile Biyela, and Siboniso Biyela charged with Matoso’s kidnapping and murder began with the defence arguing that there were exceptional and compelling circumstances permitting their release on bail.
Zulu and Myeni are represented by A. Khanyile while Sakhile and Siboniso are represented by M.I Siphika.
Arguments on bail by the State and defence will continue with a possible ruling on the application by the court today.
The court had previously heard from the investigating officer Sergeant Nhlanhla Mhlongo who opposed the granting of bail to the accused because of the seriousness of the charges.
He said that Matoso had sustained critical injuries with one of these being a cracked skull.
“An innocent woman was assaulted and stoned with her cause of death being brain damage. They accused her of witchcraft but they had no evidence of this,” said Mhlongo.
He said that the accused had all been identified by Matoso’s husband who had managed to get the license plate number of the car of the suspects and gone to the police with it.
Leading evidence through an affidavit, Mhlongo previously told the court that after the four men kicked in the door of the couple’s home and began assaulting Matoso. Sgwebela tried to stop the attack but failed.
“After assaulting her they took her in a car, Sgwebela took down the registration plate of that car and went to the police. There he was told that a woman had been found unconscious at a sports field at Greenfield avenue in Quarry heights with critical injuries and she had been taken to hospital… A case of kidnapping and murder was opened at the Greenwood Park Police Station.”
Mhlongo said after Sgwebela had gone to the police and told them that he had recognised one of the four men as his neighbour, Siboniso, an operation was planned.
“Police proceeded to an address in Greenwood Park where the car with the registration plate number provided was found. Police knocked on the door and when Zulu appeared at the door Sgwebela identified him as one of the four men. Zulu told police that he was not involved in the murder but had just provided the transport and he took police to an informal settlement where he pointed out a shack where the other three accused were found. Sgwebela positively identified all three,” Mhlongo had said.
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