Siyavuya Mzantsi
THE police officer who investtigated the rape and murder of 19-year-old Sinoxolo Mafevuka has told the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court of the grim discovery police made when they responded to the scene during the early hours of March 2.
Constable Butiki Tshabalala, of the Harare detectives unit, took the stand for the first time yesterday and said when police arrived at the communal toilets in SST block, Khayelitsha, they saw the naked body of a young woman with her lower back facing towards the door, while her face was stuffed behind the seat.
Tshabalala said Mafevuka’s clothes were scattered around the toilet and some of them were stuffed in the cistern. He said no injuries were found on Mafevuka’s body.
He was testifying during the bail hearing of two men charged with Mafevuka’s murder and rape. He said he opposed the release of the accused as they were positively linked to the crimes.
“Various people who were questioned and all the people who attended the scene had two names. They referred the police (to) two people with nicknames Ski and Barker. They are the accused.”
Tshabalala said the pair were initially released, but later rearrested when the police found witnesses who alleged he had seen the two cousins around the crime scene the night before the incident.
He said the witness had gone to relieve himself when he came across the accused “discussing something around the toilets”.
“The witness left the door open because it was at night when he saw these accused facing towards the toilets. He thought they would rob him, but realised they were people he knew very well.
“The accused saw they were discussing something, but they disappeared in between the shacks when he came out,” said Tshabalala.
The witness was in his room for about 15 to 20 minutes when he heard people saying, “assist me, this thing is heavy”, said Tshabalala.
The witness heard a toilet door opening and it was quiet. He said the witness identified the voices he had heard as “Ski and Barker”. “From that stage, we focused on the two accused,” he said.
The hearing continues today.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Monwabisi Mbombo, who was charged with the murder of 21-year-old Anelisa Daluze, made a brief court appearance and asked to be given two weeks to find a legal representative.
Daluze went missing about four months ago and her body was found buried in an unfinished house in Makhaza, Khayelitsha, on Monday.
The matter was postponed to May 17.