A Durban high court judge has ordered three murder-accused to get their legal issues sorted out before pretrial next month.
Umlazi court administrator Faith Ntombela, convicted killer Khulani Cele, and school principal Sthembiso Khumalo made a brief appearance before judge Jacqueline Henriques on Wednesday.
They are charged with the murder of Faith's husband, eThekwini metro police captain Thomas Ntombela, 50. He was gunned down at the entrance of their uMlazi home by hitman Mzo Ntombela (no relation), 27, in May last year. He was also attached to the VIP protection unit.
Mzo Ntombela, who was sentenced to 20 years in jail by Durban high court judge Kate Pillay in August, implicated Faith as the mastermind. A video of her instructing the hitmen how to carry out the hit has surfaced.
Her co-accused Cele is serving a life sentence at the Kokstad prison for different convictions.
Prosecutor Krishen Shah told the court Ntombela was still finalising consultation with her legal team, while Cele’s Legal Aid attorney Patrick Mkumbuzi, who was not present, was yet to consult his client. Shah said according to Khumalo’s legal counsel, advocate Mduduzi Mvune, his client did not intend to make any plea.
Henriques ordered Cele to consult with Mkumbuzi by Friday and legal representatives of all three should liaise with the prosecutor by August 6. He in turn should then consult with her registrar by August 13 ahead of pretrial on August 15.
TimesLIVE
Judge orders murder-accused to get legal affairs in order before pretrial
A Durban high court judge has ordered three murder-accused to get their legal issues sorted out before pretrial next month.
Umlazi court administrator Faith Ntombela, convicted killer Khulani Cele, and school principal Sthembiso Khumalo made a brief appearance before judge Jacqueline Henriques on Wednesday.
They are charged with the murder of Faith's husband, eThekwini metro police captain Thomas Ntombela, 50. He was gunned down at the entrance of their uMlazi home by hitman Mzo Ntombela (no relation), 27, in May last year. He was also attached to the VIP protection unit.
Mzo Ntombela, who was sentenced to 20 years in jail by Durban high court judge Kate Pillay in August, implicated Faith as the mastermind. A video of her instructing the hitmen how to carry out the hit has surfaced.
Her co-accused Cele is serving a life sentence at the Kokstad prison for different convictions.
Prosecutor Krishen Shah told the court Ntombela was still finalising consultation with her legal team, while Cele’s Legal Aid attorney Patrick Mkumbuzi, who was not present, was yet to consult his client. Shah said according to Khumalo’s legal counsel, advocate Mduduzi Mvune, his client did not intend to make any plea.
Henriques ordered Cele to consult with Mkumbuzi by Friday and legal representatives of all three should liaise with the prosecutor by August 6. He in turn should then consult with her registrar by August 13 ahead of pretrial on August 15.
TimesLIVE