Cape Town - A forensic expert testified and gave details of the murder of Nosicelo Tsipa, a 35-year-old mother who was strangled to death allegedly by her husband, Babsy Ntamehlo.
Ntamehlo, 42, is charged with the murder of Tsipa who had filed for a protection order against him.
Ntamehlo was arrested after Tsipa’s partially burnt body was found in a shallow grave by the Mossel River, metres away from her home in Fisantekraal, on September 8, 2020.
Forensic expert Dr Yasmeen Abdhool testified that one of the bones located deep in Tsipa’s neck was broken, indicating that a huge amount of force had to be used when she was killed.
She confirmed that due to the force applied during the strangulation, it had to be done by hand because there was no ligature around her neck.
According to her observation, she said that it only took between three to four minutes of applied force to the neck before Tsipa was dead. When questioned by Judge Daniel Thulare, she confirmed that someone in Tsipa’s position would not have been able to scream for help.
“The application of that force in that manner would take approximately between three and four minutes before a person becomes unconscious and ultimately dies. Are you able to comment on the nature and scope of the pain of a person in that position, when strangled in the manner that you observed?” the judge asked.
Abdhool responded: “There aren’t much nerves in that area to cause any pain, and it’s a very quick process. There would be pain but I can’t comment on the amount of pain.”
She confirmed that Tsipa’s body was burnt after she was killed. Tsipa’s family said her death could have been prevented if the protection order was followed up by police.