The assassination of a witness in the case of a murder at a notorious Durban hostel has spooked another witness.
Sipho Ndovela was a key witness in the murder trial in which Bongani Hlope is accused of shooting Fikile Siyephu at the notorious Glebelands hostel’s block 49 in March.
He was shot dead outside the Umlazi Magistrate’s court minutes before he could call his police escort to fetch him on Monday.
Another eye witness who was due to testify on Thursday against Hlope‚ in an attempted murder case‚ on Wednesday said he will not attend the proceedings.
“He is terrified for his life so he has refused to go to court‚” community activist Vanessa Burger said.
She said the man was being “hunted like Ndovela” for some time.
Ndovela’s wife‚ who lives in Bizana‚ had been warned that her husband “would not see court”.
On April 21‚ the KwaZulu-Natal Violence Monitor wrote to the provincial police commissioner‚ Umlazi cluster commander‚ KZN community safety MEC Willies Mchunu‚ and other police officials to alert them to the numerous threats made on Ndovela’s life.
Police claimed that he refused to be part of the witness protection programme.
“Knowing his life was in danger‚ police dropped him off with the orderlies and left. It wasn’t enough to protect him. No one can blame another witness for refusing to go to court because he does not believe the police can protect him‚” Burger said.
The director of public prosecutions in KwaZulu-Natal‚ advocate Moipone Noko said a warrant of arrest would be issued if the man failed to arrive at court on Thursday.
“If the witness received a subpoena and was summoned to be in court then a warrant of arrest will be issued. However‚ this warrant will be stayed for 14 days pending an enquiry into the matter‚” she said.
Meanwhile‚ the Democratic Alliance in the province on Wednesday said it would write to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) to call for an urgent probe into “police incompetence of the worst kind” with regard to Ndovela’s death.
DA MPL Dr Rishigen Viranna said Ndovela was supposed to be under police protection at the time that he was gunned down.
“KwaZulu-Natal community safety MEC Willies Mchunu and the Umlazi cluster commander had both been informed that‚ as a main witness in a Glebelands hostel murder case‚ the man’s life was in danger. Yet there was no one there when it counted and tragically a life was lost‚” he said.
Police spokesman Major Thulani Zwane on Wednesday said no arrests had been made
Murder witness warned wife that he ‘would not see court’
The assassination of a witness in the case of a murder at a notorious Durban hostel has spooked another witness.
Sipho Ndovela was a key witness in the murder trial in which Bongani Hlope is accused of shooting Fikile Siyephu at the notorious Glebelands hostel’s block 49 in March.
He was shot dead outside the Umlazi Magistrate’s court minutes before he could call his police escort to fetch him on Monday.
Another eye witness who was due to testify on Thursday against Hlope‚ in an attempted murder case‚ on Wednesday said he will not attend the proceedings.
“He is terrified for his life so he has refused to go to court‚” community activist Vanessa Burger said.
She said the man was being “hunted like Ndovela” for some time.
Ndovela’s wife‚ who lives in Bizana‚ had been warned that her husband “would not see court”.
On April 21‚ the KwaZulu-Natal Violence Monitor wrote to the provincial police commissioner‚ Umlazi cluster commander‚ KZN community safety MEC Willies Mchunu‚ and other police officials to alert them to the numerous threats made on Ndovela’s life.
Police claimed that he refused to be part of the witness protection programme.
“Knowing his life was in danger‚ police dropped him off with the orderlies and left. It wasn’t enough to protect him. No one can blame another witness for refusing to go to court because he does not believe the police can protect him‚” Burger said.
The director of public prosecutions in KwaZulu-Natal‚ advocate Moipone Noko said a warrant of arrest would be issued if the man failed to arrive at court on Thursday.
“If the witness received a subpoena and was summoned to be in court then a warrant of arrest will be issued. However‚ this warrant will be stayed for 14 days pending an enquiry into the matter‚” she said.
Meanwhile‚ the Democratic Alliance in the province on Wednesday said it would write to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) to call for an urgent probe into “police incompetence of the worst kind” with regard to Ndovela’s death.
DA MPL Dr Rishigen Viranna said Ndovela was supposed to be under police protection at the time that he was gunned down.
“KwaZulu-Natal community safety MEC Willies Mchunu and the Umlazi cluster commander had both been informed that‚ as a main witness in a Glebelands hostel murder case‚ the man’s life was in danger. Yet there was no one there when it counted and tragically a life was lost‚” he said.
Police spokesman Major Thulani Zwane on Wednesday said no arrests had been made
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