DURBAN: POLICE have charged a 29-year-old, well-connected Hillcrest businessman and petrochemical dealer Philani Ntuli with the murder of Siam Lee.
Lee, 20, was abducted from a house in Margaret Maytom Avenue in Durban North on January 4. Her burnt body was discovered on a farm in New Hanover at 5.30am on January 6.
Police and private investigators working on the case are now investigating other abduction and harassment incidents allegedly involving Ntuli, who they have described as a dangerous sex pest who was obsessed with Lee.
They believe Lee would still be alive had authorities fully investigated previous complaints and criminal charges laid against Ntuli by at least two other woman, including Miss SA Teen 2009, Lucky Mthembu, who was once engaged to the alleged killer.
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In a subsequent 11-page appeal to the office of Police Minister Fikile Mbalula to intervene, Mthembu said she was often bullied and beaten during her two-year relationship with Ntuli, who is the director of 10 companies, including a telecoms firm, a logistics business and fuel companies.
Mthembu said after she broke up with Ntuli, he began stalking her, her family and her friends, vandalising property and making violent threats.
She went public with her concerns after the murder of 22-year-old Karabo Mokoena, who was reported missing in Johannesburg on April 28 last year. Mokoena’s burnt body was found in the veld in Lyndhurst the following day.
Mthembu told the Sunday Tribune she feared this might happen to her if police did not act against him.
Seven months later, on January 4, Ntuli allegedly abducted Lee, killed her and dumped her burnt body on a farm in New Hanover.
A source close to the investigation said Ntuli was allegedly a client where Lee worked and had developed a fixation for her.
When he was arrested, Ntuli allegedly told the investigating team it would never pin the murder on him.
“He told us he had powerful
connections and said: ‘I am
a biochemist. I know how to
clean crime scenes’,” said private
investigator Brad Nathanson,
who is assisting police
with the murder investigation.
Last week, Nathanson and
other sources close to the
investigation had alleged that
Lee’s murder was connected
to a ransom demand over a
drug debt owed by sex workers
at the house where Lee
was abducted.
Investigations took a completely
different turn this
week after information came
through about a hit-and-run
accident that happened on
Margaret Maytom Avenue
soon after Lee was abducted.
The accident involved a
Ford Ranger 4x4 and a black
Mercedes-Benz Viano – the
same car allegedly used to
abduct Lee.
The car was seized at
Ntuli’s home on Controversy
Road in Assagay late on Wednesday
afternoon and sent
for forensic examination.
His home was then put
under surveillance.
“When he arrived home,
we detained him. The investigating
officer, Warrant Officer
Gordon Pillay, arrived soon
afterwards to arrest him,” said
Nathanson.
Ntuli has since been kept in
custody pending his appearance
in court tomorrow when
he is expected to face charges
of kidnapping, murder
and the possession of an
unlicensed firearm.
He also faces charges for
fraud and defeating the ends of
justice after allegedly falsifying
an insurance claim related
to the hit-and-run accident.
Dhlomo said he was
shocked by the disclosure that
his sister’s grandson had been
charged in connection with
Lee’s murder.
He said he had broken ties
with him more than seven
months ago after he had tried
to resolve his grandnephew’s
dispute with Mthembu and her
family.
“I intervened and asked him
to stop what he was doing. He
told me to get off his back and
insulted me very badly when I
tried to speak to him.
“I haven’t had any communication
with him since.”
Dhlomo said allegations
that Ntuli was untouchable
because of his political connections,
including his link to
him, were not true.
“The law is the law and
will take its course,” said
Dhlomo.
Esethu Hasane, spokesperson
for Police Minister
Mbalula, declined to comment
on Mthembu’s appeal to the
ministry to fully investigate
her complaints of harassment
and criminal charges she had
laid against Ntuli.
“When cases are brought to
our attention, we escalate them
to the SAPS in that province
to deal with. We do not follow
the progress closely because
it falls into the hands of the
investigating officer dealing
with the cases.
“This case is no different,”
said Hasane.
Also read: Beauty queen ex-fiancee of alleged Siam Lee murdered sounded warning seven months ago