AN INJIVA, who was accused of being involved in a spate of armed robbery cases in Johannesburg, South Africa, with his accomplice, who is still on the run, before escaping to Zimbabwe, where they allegedly shot dead one of their own in a fight over their loot, was yesterday found not guilty by the High Court and acquitted.
BY SILAS NKALA
Melusi Ndlovu (47) of the Gwatemba area in Filabusi and his brother Edmos, who is still on the run, were alleged to have shot and killed their accomplice, Dumisani Mbatha, a South African, on March 24 in 2001 at Manando Farm in Figtree and dumped his body in a bushy area.
Ndlovu allegedly fled to South Africa after committing the crime but was arrested at his homestead in Filabusi in January this year after he had been on the run for 16 years.
Through his lawyer, Jabulani Mhlanga, Ndlovu denied the charge of murder when he appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Nokuthula Moyo.
At the close of the State case yesterday, Moyo ruled that the State witnesses’ evidence was incoherent and lacked credibility to convict Ndlovu.
Moyo said the State failed to prove that Ndlovu had killed Mbatha and “in such circumstances, the court is left with no other option, but to acquit the accused”.
Prosecutor, Khumbulani Ndlovu alleged that on March 24, 2001, the two Ndlovu brothers shot Mbatha with a pistol once in the head after a dispute over proceeds from an armed robbery.
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It was alleged that on March 23, 2001, Ndlovu and Edmos went to their late brother Robert’s house in Johannesburg, where they agreed to travel to Zimbabwe with Mbatha.
They allegedly left Johannesburg at around 4pm and Ndlovu stole Robert’s passport, which he used to cross the border into Zimbabwe.
In Zimbabwe they went to Pangani Training Centre in Filabusi and on the following day, they drove to Bulawayo to meet another accomplice, Sikhumbuzo Moyo, at his house in Nketa 9 suburb.
They allegedly demanded their money from Moyo before requesting him to accompany them back to South Africa, but he refused.
Ndlovu and Edmos allegedly left Bulawayo and returned to Filabusi without Mbatha, and they reportedly told their relatives they had killed him.
They allegedly dumped the body in a bushy area at Manando Farm in Figtree and covered it with tree branches before fleeing from the scene.
The body was discovered the following day by a farm worker, who reported the matter to the police.
The police questioned villagers from the area, who said they had last seen Mbatha entering Ndlovu’s car.
The police hunted for the two brothers and later learnt that they had fled to South Africa.
Ndlovu was arrested on January 16 this year after police received a tip-off that he had visited his home.
