Siam Lee would be alive if police acted on 'psycho' suspect

Siam Lee... startling revelations are emerging about her murder.

Siam Lee... startling revelations are emerging about her murder.

Published Jan 21, 2018

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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 an exclusive interview with the Sunday Tribune in May, Mthembu told how she had been abused by Ntuli, a close relative of Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo. She said she had obtained protection orders and laid criminal charges against the man - to no avail.

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,”

[email protected]

SUNDAY TRIBUNE

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