Witness killed at court was under police protection to prevent a hit on his life

20 May 2015 - 12:38 By Nivashni Nair

Sipho Ndovela was shot in the chest and forehead minutes before he could call his police escort to take him from the Umlazi Magistrate's Court to his hiding place. Three men approached him at court at about 11am on Monday.“It is alleged that one of the suspects pulled out his firearm and fatally shot the man‚" KwaZulu-Natal police spokesman Major Thulani Zwane said. A police statement said he sustained seven gunshot wounds and died instantly. The suspects fled the scene on foot.Ndovela was a key witness to the murder of his friend Fikile Siyephu‚ who was shot dead at the notorious Glebelands hostel's block 49 in March.He was also key witness in the case of a man shot in the ankle and bludgeoned with an axe on his head at the hostel.On April 20 this year‚ Ndovela became aware of a planned hit on his life set for Monday 18 May or May 21‚ when he was to appear as a witness for another case.Community activist Vanessa Burger said Ndovela's wife‚ who lives in Bizana‚ had been warned that her husband "would not see court".His family home in Bizana was also targeted.On April 21‚ the KwaZulu-Natal Violence Monitor wrote to the provincial police commissioner‚ Umlazi cluster commander‚ KwaZulu-Natal Community Safety MEC Willies Mchunu‚ and other police officials to alert them to the numerous threats made on Ndovela's life."The police were well aware of the danger to Ndovela yet they abandoned him at court and handed him over to court orderlies. Umlazi court has no CCTV cameras‚ and predictably‚ no witnesses have come forward‚" Burger said.Mchunu on Tuesday issued a statement condemning the “callous murder” of the witness in broad daylight.“I am deeply shocked by this murder. I find it to be totally abhorrent‚ senseless and inhumane. We condemn it and we will follow it until there is an arrest and conviction‚” he said.“I am assured that members of the police are working around the clock to ensure that those who are responsible for this cold-blooded murder are brought to justice as soon as possible. We also appeal to whoever might have information in this matter to share it with the police immediately‚” said Mchunu. – The Times and RDM News Wire..

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