Durban - Justice has been served on those involved in the 2019 murder of Warrant Officer Thulani Ngwabe at Port Shepstone Beach.
Ngwabe’s wife and the three men she hired to kill him were convicted and sentenced.
Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo said Sithembiso Mbona, 27, Saziso Khambule, 27, and Nhlakanipho Ndovela, 25, were sentenced on Tuesday in the Scottburgh High Court.
Mhlongo said on November 3, 2019, the body of Ngwabe was found on the railway lines near Port Shepstone beach with multiple stab wounds.
Ngwabe was stationed at Margate Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.
Mhlongo said a case of murder was reported at Port Shepstone police station and the case docket was allocated to Hawks members from Port Shepstone Serious Organised Crime Investigation for an intensive investigation.
“Hawks members left no stone unturned in their investigation and they first arrested his wife, Nonkululeko Ngwabe (48) in December 2019.
“Her arrest led to the apprehension of her accomplices that she hired to kill her husband. They were arrested in the Murchison area near Port Shepstone,” he said.
He said on June 7, 2021, the Pietermaritzburg High Court convicted and sentenced Nonkululeko to 22 years in prison for the murder of her husband.
During the court proceedings of the threeaccused, Mhlongo said the Hawks members had presented a well investigated case docket before court, and the accused were denied bail.
“The three pleaded not guilty and their trial continued until they were found guilty on Thursday last week,” said Mhlongo.
The Hawks said Mbona and Khambule were each sentenced to a term of life in prison while Ndovela was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
“The court further denied them leave to appeal.”