Former crime intelligence officer gets life for shooting girlfriend in the head

A ruthless killer with an admirable exterior who violated his oath to protect South Africans.

That is how a judge described former crime intelligence officer Thandolwethu Faku, who was sentenced to life in prison by the Western Cape high court on Wednesday for murdering his ex-girlfriend in Cape Town.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the investigating officer and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office initially opened an inquest docket which led to Faku's arrest and the state proving he lied by claiming he was robbed at gunpoint by two unknown assailants who then killed Wendy Papu, the mother of his daughter. 

The state proved beyond reasonable doubt that the off-duty officer had visited Papu at her shack in Khayelitsha on January 9 2018 and shot her in the head with his official firearm after an argument.

Their daughter and Papu’s daughter from another relationship were asleep in another room at the time.

State advocate Kelper Uys told the court, “The mother of two was unable to seek help as she had a bullet wound in the head. She was unable to help her younger daughter who had started crying.” 

Faku fled the scene leaving her to die and attempted to cover up the murder by abandoning his vehicle, firearm and phone near Strandfontein beach. Then he falsely reported to police that he had been attacked and robbed at Papu's home.

Faku told the court he went to drop money at her home and was approached by two people who robbed him and asked where he was going. He claimed a gun was held to his head, he was put in the boot of his car and later heard a gunshot. He claimed to later have been dropped off in the bush and made his way to a police station to report what happened.

“The accused’s vehicle was discovered abandoned on the afternoon of January 10 2018, near where the accused left it, Strandfontein Beach near Baden Powell Drive, Mitchells Plain, but his cellphone and the firearm were never recovered,” said Ntabazalila. 

During cross-examination, Uys called 15 witnesses, including nine SAPS members, who showed Papu was shot by someone inside the shack as opposed to his claim it had been from outside.

Evidence also emerged of an abusive relationship.

Judge Constance Nziweni described Faku as evil, saying the case had unmasked a ruthless killer with an admirable exterior. However, underneath was a man who “violated his oath to ensure that he protected South Africans, particularly women, when he murdered [Papu]”. 

Faku was also sentenced to six months imprisonment for her assault and three years for attempting to defeat the administration of justice. The sentences will run concurrently with that of life imprisonment. Faku was declared unfit to own a firearm. 

Provincial director of public prosecutions advocate Nicolette Bell praised the investigating team. 

“Advocate Uys did well in putting together a case based on circumstantial evidence and convincing arguments which left the court with no other choice than life imprisonment,” said Bell.

TimesLIVE