Murder accused Siphamandla Dlomo walks behind a police officer at the Durban High Court. Picture: Tumi PakkiesPicture: Tumi Pakkies
A State witness broke down before the Durban High Court as he retold of the night that four of his family members were murdered along with five others in a mass killing in uMlazi.
The trial started on Monday and Phiwayinkosi Sibisi is a second state witness testifying against a 25-year-old Siphamandla Dlomo.
The accused is charged with the murders of Mlungisi Lungisani Zuma, Phakamani Sibusiso Dlamini, Maxwell Bankeni Sibisi, Reginald Bongimpilo Ngema, Thabani Vincent Ngcobo, Meichel Mhlengi Khathi, Ayabonga Mbayise, Sifundo Sibusiso Dlamini, and Sifiso Alex Cele.
He was also charged with two attempted murders, robbery and possession of an illegal firearm. Dlomo handed himself to the police on August 13, 2023 after a manhunt was launched for suspect/s involved in the mass murder.
Sibisi said he had met Dlomo in 2022, through his half brother Sakhile Ndlovu who used to live in the Sibisi family yard which had three structures.
He said Dlomo moved into a shack in his yard in January 2023 and they had a good relationship until March that year after he found the accused’s Identity Document at a scene where three people were killed including the accused’s half brother, on March 27.
He said there had been a squabble between the siblings a day before the three murders and when he asked what is that they were fighting about, Ndlovu said they had gone somewhere with Dlomo and people died.
While Sibisi was about to tell the court more about this, defence counsel advocate Masibonge Mathomane stood up and said this was hearsay evidence. Judge Sophia Steyn agreed with Mathomane.
He said he received a call alerting him that Ndlovu had been killed.
He said that when he got there, no one wanted to say who shot Ndlovu, but they claimed to have heard gunshots. He said Dlomo’s identity book was at the crime scene and he picked it up.
“I called him and asked him two questions. I asked him where his ID was and where he was at that stage. He answered only one question and said his ID was at home (where they all reside). He did not want to say where he (Dlomo) was. That is when I knew that I cannot trust him and there was nothing to talk to him about. I took his ID to uMlazi police station,” he said.
He said he believed that the ID would help solve the murders of Ndlovu and the two other people.
He said after this there was no communication between him and Dlomo. However, Dlomo spoke badly about him to other people.
He said on the night of the mass killing he fled his home and hid nearby when Dlomo and his accomplices were in his yard.
Sibisi, in the cover of darkness as it was loadshedding, went back to his home after hearing gunshots ring out.
He said he snuck up on an unsuspecting Dlomo who had his back to him with his gun in his right hand.
Sibisi said when the opportunity arose and he was close enough to Dlomo he tried to grab the gun and they tussled over it.
He said the firearm went off three times and he got injured but not from the gun.
“Two cartridges were in my jacket,” he said.
Whenever Sibisi spoke about this day he would cry, look up, wipe his tears with his towel and look at Dlomo who was relaxed and taking his notes.
Judge Steyn, who was worried and concerned, kept on asking Sibisi if he wanted a short adjournment to compose himself and he would say no.
The Dlomo family members who were in court looked happy to see their son and they would wink at each other whenever there were adjournments.