The Pinetown Regional Court on Monday had to postpone the sentencing of two senior police officers who accepted a R120 000 bribe to fudge evidence in an ANC murder case, due to one of the attorneys being sick.
The senior cops, Captain Bonginkosi Dlamini and retired Lieutenant-Colonel Khephu Ndlovu, were together with Felokwakhe Ndlovu, Sibongile Ndlovu, and Lindokuhle Ndlovu, found guilty of defeating the ends of justice, and corruption earlier in March by this court.
Lindokuhle and Khephu had been attending trial while out on bail but when this court found them guilty, their bail was forfeited. They are in Westville Prison.
The two cops were bribed by Sibongile, who brought them the cash in a bag at the Durban Central Police Station parking lot. Sibongile wanted her husband Felokwakhe to be acquitted for the murder of his cousin Thulani Nxumalo, who was an ANC branch leader at KwaNdengezi.
Nxumalo was killed in 2018.
Dlamini had arrested Felokwakhe.
Furthermore, Felokwakhe was sentenced to life imprisonment in April 2023 by the Durban High Court for killing Nxumalo. He had paid Nkosinathi Mbambo R2 000 to kill his cousin.
Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions advocate Lawrence Gcaba told the court on Monday that he had spoken to attorney Vusi Tembe, who told him that he was not well.
Tembe is representing Sibongile and Lindokuhle.
“I received information that Mr Tembe is not feeling well. I confirm that I spoke to him and he did not sound well,” Gcaba said.
He added that for those reasons, he did not think that they would be able to continue.
Advocate J.P. Broster requested a pre-sentence report on behalf of his client, Dlamini.
However, Magistrate Muntukayise Khumalo asked why they wanted the report now. He said the matter was adjourned for sentencing, and they should have asked for it on the last occasion.
It was agreed that it would be done sooner before the sentencing. Magistrate Khumalo postponed the sentencing to early June.
There was turmoil and anxiety in the courtroom prior to the start of the proceedings, and there were a lot of police officers present.
Before the matter had been called, the accused's relatives and other visitors were instructed to wait outside the courtroom.
But then, an old man with an IFP T-shirt entered the courtroom and took a seat.
He got into a confrontation with the police when they requested him to wait outside.
After a heated argument, Khephu's attorney, advocate Andrew Matlamela, intervened and pleaded with the man to leave the courtroom.
He continued to point his finger at certain police officers as he left.
Matlamela assumed he must have come to support one of the accused.
As the accused got into the dock, they looked calm and relaxed.
Khephu, a former SAPS district spokesperson for Durban South, greeted the media. Sibongile was decked up in a black outfit, jewellery, and large sunglasses.