Man jailed for killing fiancee’s family in ‘fit of rage’

An Inanda man, who pleaded guilty to killing three of his fiancee’s relatives and also to attempting to kill her, was sentenced to an effective 27 years in prison.

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Durban - An Inanda man, who pleaded guilty to killing three of his fiancee’s relatives and also to attempting to kill her, was sentenced in the Durban High Court on Friday to an effective 27 years in prison.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Kate Pillay said Master Ntuli had acted like the gun in his hands was a “fly swatter”.

“He simply opened fire and shot not just to injure, but to fatally injure his victims,” she said.

Through his written plea, Ntuli last week said he was in a relationship with Nonhlanhla Ndwandwe for 10 years, but they broke up after he discovered she had been unfaithful.

They had planned to meet in October to try to resolve ongoing disputes over their assets and the repayment of lobolo, he said. But, in October last year, Ndwandwe; her friend, Zandile Mthethwa; Ndwandwe’s two sisters, Nompumelelo Ndwandwe and Zandile Molefe, and Molefe’s husband, Siphokuhle, came to the house, he said.

Ntuli said Nonhlanhla wanted to remove some items, but he refused to allow her to do so. An argument broke out and Ntuli claimed he was verbally abused by one of the women.

He confessed to eventually getting a firearm he had, from the lounge and shooting the women. They ran and he continued to shoot at them, he said.

As he left the house, he noticed Siphokuhle sitting in his car with the door opened.

Thinking he was going to flee, Ntuli also fired shots in Siphokuhle’s direction and killed him.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of murder, two of attempted murder and the unlawful possession of a firearm.

Advocate Jay Naidoo, acting for Ntuli, said the murders had not been premeditated, but rather “an act of rage”.

This was his client’s first offence, Naidoo had said, and he had shown remorse by pleading guilty.

But, the judge said, society expected citizens to keep their emotions in check.

While it did appear Ntuli had been provoked, nothing could justify his lack of self-restraint, Pillay said.

Pillay said the case highlighted the scourge of domestic violence.

“The vulnerable require protection from those who use firearms to solve their problems.”

“I accept the accused acted in a fit of rage, but I don’t believe his responsibility was diminished. He killed three people - not just one - without any thought.”

Siphokuhle’s death was especially unjustifiable because no evidence was brought before the court to suggest he had played any part in verbally abusing Ntuli, Judge Pillay said.

“He was innocently trying to get out of his car when he was shot,” she said. Pillay said the fact that Ntuli had taken the court into his confidence indicated remorse and that there were mitigating factors.

Ndwandwe told the Daily News she believed the judge had been too lenient on Ntuli and that she and her family wanted to appeal the sentencing.

“But no matter how big or small the sentence, our loved ones will never return,” she said.

The family was struggling to come to terms with their loss and were still undergoing counselling, Ndwandwe said.

Daily News