A man alleged to have shot and killed the parents of a 1-year-old by shooting them execution style is due back in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court in June this after he was released on R5000 bail. The mother was killed while breast feeding the child.
Durban — The family of a woman who was shot and killed while breast-feeding her baby was on Wednesday shocked to learn that the man charged with her murder had been released on bail.
Phiwinhlanhla Nzama, a truck driver for a well-known bakery, allegedly shot the father of the child as well on the day. Both were shot execution-style.
He is expected to appear again in June in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court after being granted R5 000 bail following his arrest on April 17.
According to the State, the summary of facts in the matter is that couple Ntobeko Mhlungu, 29, and Phindile Nkomo, 28, were at the home they were renting in Nazareth, near Pinetown.
Nkomo, who had been breast-feeding her baby girl in a room, was found with a gunshot wound to the head while Mhlungu’s body was found outside with gunshot wounds to the forehead and chest.
It is alleged by the State that the motive for the killing was that Nkomo owed the accused R300 which she had stolen from him.
It is alleged that following the shooting, Nzama took the murder weapon and buried it in Kranskop inside a goat kraal.
Nkomo’s mother, Duduzile Khuboni said the family were not aware that the accused had been granted bail and were learning of this for the first time from this publication.
“How can someone alleged to have committed such a brutal and heartless act be allowed into society? We are shocked that the court took this decision. A child has had both its parents ripped from it. A child that was breast-feeding, that was always with her mother. She turned 2 years today (Wednesday) without her parents,” said Khuboni.
Reacting to the allegation that her daughter had allegedly stolen R300 from the accused, Khuboni said Nkomo was no thief.
“She just liked drinking and having a good time and being with the father of her child, she is no thief.”
During the accused’s application towards the end of April, detective Warrant Officer Sifiso Mbambo told the court that Nzama had had an altercation with Nkomo.
It’s alleged he had been at the couple’s residence around midnight before the double murder.
According to police, when he was arrested his licensed gun, which he had buried, was recovered.
It emerged during his bail application that a bullet head found at the scene in Mhlungu’s body matches Nzama’s licensed 9mm gun, as per a ballistic report forming part of police investigations.
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