Police in South Africa have confirmed that a man arrested alongside two women in connection with the murder of Jabulile Ntimba has not been charged. Ntimba's body was discovered by a passer-by in an open area on Lama Street in Villa Lisa on 17 September. She had been severely assaulted, and her throat had been slit. The murder is part of a string of killings that has sent shockwaves through communities across Ekurhuleni.
Fortunate Masilela and Tsakane Nester Msithini made a first appearance in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday. They face charges of premeditated murder and defeating the ends of justice. The duo have been remanded in custody and are expected to apply for bail on 1 October. As they face a Schedule 6 offence, the accused will have to provide the court with exceptional circumstances that they should be released on bail.
In court on Monday, the magistrate ruled that only audio recordings of the court proceedings would be permitted. No photographs or video footage of the accused or presiding officers would be allowed. Inside court, family members of the accused were seen handing them newspapers to cover their faces after the ruling. The court proceedings were closely followed by members of the public and the media.
Police have alleged that Ntimba’s murder may have stemmed from a love triangle. Deputy National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili confirmed that the third suspect had not been enrolled in the case. Mosikili explained that the third suspect was still being investigated and that police were following up on possible links to the murder.
Ntimba is the ninth woman to be found dead in a string of killings that has sent shockwaves through communities across Ekurhuleni. The police are working to establish the motive behind the killings and to apprehend the perpetrators. The community remains on high alert, and the police have urged anyone with information to come forward.
The investigation into Ntimba's murder is ongoing, with the police following up on several leads. The community has been urged to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities. The police have also assured the public that they are doing everything in their power to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The two women, Masilela and Msithini, will remain in custody until their bail application on 1 October. The case has garnered significant attention due to the brutal nature of the crime and the alleged involvement of multiple suspects. The police have thanked the community for their cooperation and urged anyone with information to come forward.
Key points
- The two women, Fortunate Masilela and Tsakane Nester Msithini, have been charged with the murder of Jabulile Ntimba.
- A man arrested alongside the two women has not been charged.
- The murder is part of a string of killings that has sent shockwaves through communities across Ekurhuleni.
