DURBAN - Two men facing five counts of murder, kidnapping, robbery, theft and defeating the ends of justice are expected to make an official bail application next Monday after making their first court appearance in the Richmond Magistrate’s Court this Monday.
The men, Mhlonishwa Zondi, 22, and Khulekani Lindelani Zondi, 35, are accused of being involved in the kidnapping and murder of five Boston family members last year.
Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said the men appeared in court, and the case was placed on the roll. The suspects were remanded in custody for a formal bail application on Monday, February 21, 2022.
Earlier on Monday, Mbele said, on Saturday night, police finally arrested two men for kidnapping and murder.
Mbele said the men were expected to appear before the Richmond Magistrate’s Court today, facing five counts of murder, kidnapping, robbery, theft and defeating the ends of justice.
“On February 12, 2022, at 10pm, members from the Provincial Trio Task Team and the Provincial Organised Crime Unit, together with Provincial Crime Intelligence, acted on the information of wanted suspects who were at Taylors Halt,” Mbele said.
“The team proceeded to the house where two suspects were arrested and taken to the Richmond police station for further processing.”
Their arrest relates to an incident on November 16, where five members of a family were kidnapped in Boston and were reported missing at Boston SAPS. Among the missing persons was a one-month-old child and a 2-year-old child – Sizwe Mauris Ngcobo, 64, Thandazile Zondi, 41, Bonokwakhe Khuboni, 40, Sibongile Fanelesibonge, 2, and one-month-old baby, Libra Ngcobo.
On December 13, the bodies of the deceased were recovered at Richmond as well as the deceased’s motor vehicle. A docket containing five counts of murder, kidnapping, robbery and theft of the motor vehicle was opened and allocated to the Organised Crime Unit.
“After an intensive investigation by the team, two suspects were arrested and charged for the same cases. The team is still searching for more suspects,” Mbele said.
In December, police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said police had found the bodies of the family after two men were taken in for questioning.
Those suspects, 25 and 27, were caught at Kwazinqamu in Elandskop and taken in for questioning.
Naicker had said police had conducted a joint operation consisting of various role players from the SAPS and Magma Security joined the search for the missing victims, which led the team to Byrne in Richmond, where the victim’s vehicle was found burnt. Further investigation led police to a plantation in Richmond where the gruesome discovery was made. The five burnt and decomposed bodies of the missing victims were found.
The two suspects were formally charged with murder and kidnapping.
Daily News