Suspect appears in court for massacre of Msomi family in KZN

Zibonele Msomi stands in the room where his brother Mvumo was shot dead on December 11.
Zibonele Msomi stands in the room where his brother Mvumo was shot dead on December 11.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

Members of the Msomi family - whose loved ones where gunned down while watching TV in Mpumalanga, outside Pietermaritzburg, in December - are pleased that someone has been arrested in connection with the deaths. 

According to police, a 29-year-old man, who was arrested in December for being in  possession of a vehicle suspected to be stolen, has been linked to the murders of six people in their house on December 11. 

“Preliminary investigation was conducted and revealed that the vehicle was hijacked in the Mariannhill area in December 2016, where the driver was shot and wounded,” said Saps KZN spokesperson Capt Nqobile Gwala.

Further investigations by detectives from the provincial organised crime unit linked the man to the murders of Mvumo Msomi, 55, his children Dumisani, 25, Philisiwe, 30, and Celiwe, 11, his nephew Dumisani, 28, and their neighbour Bongani, 40.

The Msomi family was hit by a hail of bullets after their house was surrounded by unknown people while they were in their living room on the evening of December 11.

Msomi’s youngest child, Luyanda, 3, survived and was taken to a local clinic. His wife Zanele and other children Slindile, Sifiso and Senathi were unharmed.

At the time of the murders, Msomi’s brother Ndodo called on KZN police commissioner Khombinkosi Jula, who visited the family after the incident, to ensure that a speedy arrest was made.

“We know that the man who was arrested did not act alone and others need to be arrested, but this is a start. The law needs to run its course and find the others, so that we can feel protected as citizens of this country,” said Ndodo.

Gwala said the suspect had appeared in the Hammarsdale magistrate's court on two occasions: on December 23 for possession of a suspected stolen vehicle and then on Thursday in connection with the murder and attempted murder charges.

“The suspect will be profiled to check if he is linked to the Mariannhill hijacking and attempted murder, as well as other serious cases reported,” she said.

He will be back in court on January 9.


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