Durban - The State has withdrawn charges against four of the five people accused of stealing R500 000 from the Durban North home of National Freedom Party (NFP) leader Zanele KaMagwaza-Msibi in July.
KaMagwaza-Msibi’s former domestic worker, Amina Vasco, Felix Khawuleza, Lindani Mhlongo, Sifiso Dube and Sifiso Khumalo were facing charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances and housebreaking.
They appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday where prosecutor Yuben Achary announced that the State was withdrawing charges against all expect Khumalo.
The prosecutor did not give reasons for the withdrawal, or why Khumalo still had to face the music.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Natasha Kara said: “The charges were withdrawn against the others due to a lack of evidence to secure a successful prosecution.”
In August, the investigating officer, Detective Krishnan Pather, said the police had a strong case against the five, with cellphone conversations and text messages between them during the planning stages of the crime. He also testified that they had fingerprint evidence against Khumalo as he appeared to have been one of a pair that allegedly held KaMagwaza-Msibi’s daughter, Gugu Gumede, at knifepoint during the housebreaking.
He revealed that Khawuleza allegedly deposited R29 000 into his brother’s account immediately after the robbery while Khumalo splurged on expensive outfits.
Speaking on behalf of KaMagwaza-Msibi’s family, Mzonjani Zulu said they were upset by the outcome as they thought the State had enough evidence to secure a prosecution.
“This news comes at such a terrible time because KaMagwaza-Msibi has just been released from hospital. We’ve opted not to tell her about this because we are afraid it will set back her recovery time,” he said.
The NFP leader was released from eThekwini Heart Hospital on Friday after being admitted three weeks earlier. Zulu would not discuss what she was suffering from but said she was recovering well.
The family is considering selling the house.
KaMagwaza-Msibi’s spokesman, Canaan Mdletshe, said she did not suffer a stroke but was severely exhausted. The NFP leader would appear in public again next year and attend President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address in February.
The Mercury