Durban - A teacher who is accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend and her nine-year-old son continues to plead his innocence at the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
Ndumiso Khwela, 29, from Cato Ridge, is on trial for the murder of Bonakele Sibiya, herself an educator at Jabulani Primary School in Bergville, and her son, Mfanafuthi Sibiya, who were both strangled and then set alight at Inchanga on March 28.
The state alleges Khwela, who is a high school teacher in Cato Ridge, killed Sibiya because he believed she had infected him with HIV.
The state alleges that he strangled Sibiya and her son before burning their bodies. Their remains were found in bush near Inchanga on March 29.
Pleading not guilty, Khwela said he had arranged to meet Sibiya in Bergville on the day of the murders.
Sibiya and her son were going to Durban for a holiday.
He had agreed to give them a lift to the Inchanga taxi rank, which is where he dropped them off.
He claims that is the last he saw of them.
Khwela is also charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances, after he allegedly stole Sibiya’s HP laptop, her Nokia cellphone and bank cards, which he gave to his current girlfriend after the murders. The items were subsequently found in her possession.
Warrant Officer Victor Nzama testified on Tuesday that he had taken a statement from Khwela’s girlfriend.
She told him Khwela had given her the laptop and cellphone on the day after the murders. She said she did not know where he got the items from.
The trial continues.
Daily News