Cape Town - The trial of Babsy Ntamehlo is due to start in the Western Cape High Court today, where he stands accused of the murder of his wife.
Nosicelo Tsipa, 35, was found in a shallow grave, half a kilometre away from her home in Fisantekraal.
The State alleges that Ntamehlo, 42, killed Tsipa on September 6, 2020, by strangling her, burning her body and burying her in a shallow grave.
Tsipa had shared a home with her brother and son in Olea Street.
It is the State’s case that on the day of the murder, the two left home to visit friends, leaving Tsipa in Ntamehlo’s company. They returned later that night, but Ntamehlo could not account for Tsipa’s whereabouts.
She was reported missing the next day. That day, Tsipa’s body was discovered in a shallow grave near the river. Ntamehlo was arrested a day later.
The State said Ntamehlo was seen dragging a black wheelie bin in the direction of the river earlier that evening and returning some time after that.
The post-mortem exam conducted on Tsipa’s body indicated that the cause of death was determined to be “asphyxia through application of force to the neck”.
At the time of her death, Tsipa had a protection order against Ntamehlo.
The State has compiled a list of witnesses expected to testify, including Tsipa’s family members.
Last week, the matter was postponed to give Ntamehlo’s legal representative more time to prepare.