WATCH | ‘Killer cop’ weeps as she faces her mother for first time in three years

There was an emotional reunion between alleged killer cop Nomia Rosemary Ndlovu and her mother, Maria Mushwana, in court on Wednesday.

The mother and daughter had not seen each other since March 2018, when the former police officer was arrested after a sting operation in Bushbuckridge.

After a rollercoaster day on the stand in the high court, sitting in Palm Ridge, judge Ramarumo Ndlovu gave the 46-year-old accused something to look forward to - he said she could see her mother for a few minutes.

Sunday Times Daily understands that the difficulty in seeing each other arose because of the distance between Bushbuckridge, where Mushwana lives, and Kgosi Mampuru prison, where Ndlovu is being detained. Another factor was Covid-19 restrictions, which resulted in limited prison visits. 

Ndlovu is being kept at the Pretoria maximum facility centre as a high-risk inmate after allegations surfaced shortly after her arrest that, while at the Johannesburg Correctional Centre, she was plotting a hit on the investigating officer in the case, Sgt Keshi Benneth Mabunda.

She is yet to be tried for this alleged crime.

While Ndlovu faces a string of charges - ranging from murdering numerous relatives to committing insurance fraud and defeating the ends of justice by potentially destroying incriminating evidence against her - she is also alleged to have tried to have her mother murdered.

The state’s case is that she hired a hitman to kill the elderly woman. The alleged hitman, Lakhiwe Mkhize, testified during the trial that he could not go through with the murder and instead asked Mushwana for water and left her house.

Police presented this evidence to Mushwana, but she refused to believe it. She’s also refused to testify as a state witness about the fateful day when Mkhize came to her house. Instead, she will testify in her daughter’s defence on Thursday.

An emotional reunion took place in court on Wednesday, under the watchful eye of a several police officers.

Ndlovu wept uncontrollably as her mother was brought into the courtroom. Dressed in a brown dress, her head covered in a blue doek, Mushwana walked towards her daughter and sat in a chair a few metres away.

It was only when the defence started questioning her about the death of her live-in lover, Mabasa, that she broke down and cried, using toilet paper to wipe away tears.

She uttered comforting words to her daughter, but Ndlovu was inconsolable.

At one point, an agitated Ndlovu threw food towards a photographer who tried to document the moment.

Wednesday was a particularly gruelling day in court for Ndlovu, as her lawyer led her through the circumstances around the death of her sister, Audrey, her cousin, Witness Homu, her niece, Zanele Motha, Zanele’s brother, Willie Mashaba, her lover, Maurice Mabasa, and her nephew, Brilliant Mashego.

Ndlovu’s demeanour was different to that of Tuesday when she first took to the stand. Ahead of those proceedings, she laughed, joked and posed for the media. But on Wednesday, knowing her mother was seated outside, Ndlovu was more calm and reserved.

She remained calm and even nonchalant as she gave evidence surrounding the deaths. She even yawned and stretched at one point, telling the court she was tired of sitting down, as she faced questions about some of her alleged victims. 

It was only when the defence started questioning her about the death of her live-in lover, Mabasa, that she broke down and cried, using toilet paper to wipe away tears.

When the judge offered to adjourn proceedings so she could compose herself, she refused.

“It makes no difference ... it always pains me to speak about Maurice,” she told the court. 

The matter was postponed to Thursday, when Ndlovu will finish giving evidence. Thereafter, her mother is set to take the stand.