Cape Town - The man accused of killing his wife appeared in the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday, where he admitted they had marital problems.
Babsy Ntamehlo, 42, is charged with the murder of 35-year-old mother Nosicelo Tsipa, who was strangled on September 6, 2020.
Ntamehlo was arrested after the body was discovered in a shallow grave, and has pleaded “not guilty” to the murder.
Former police detective Bulelana Yosana testified that when he was assigned the case on September 8, he went to Tsipa’s home in Fisantekraal and found more than 10 family members gathered inside interrogating Ntamehlo about Tsipa’s whereabouts.
Yosana testified that upon inspection, he noted three blood stains in the house, and when the forensic team arrived they discovered a lot more blood wiped clean from the scene.
Yosana said residents told him wheelie bin tracks led to the discovery of the body, and he confirmed this.
Statements taken by Yosana from Tsipa’s brother and son indicated that the wheelie bin was moved the day Tsipa went missing, and that someone had been pushing it during the night before Ntamehlo entered the house at 3am the next day.
Blood stains were found on the edge of the bin’s lid, and when questioned about these, Ntamehlo said he was cooking chicken entrails the previous night.
Yosana told the court he found it strange that the bin was clean when he checked it because the refuse removal had not been in the area that day.
He said Ntamehlo told him he phoned Tsipa before she went missing, but when the detective checked his mobile phone, he found no evidence of this call.
The case continues.