Cross-dressing crime boss Lindy Ndaba appeared in the High Court at Madadeni on Monday, September 14, on charges of theft by false pretenses, extortion and the murder of 53-year-old truck driver Mr Joseph Kock.  She pleaded not guilty and the case was remanded to February next year for trial.

Ndaba was arrested on Wednesday, April 9. Lindokuhle ‘Lindy’ Ndaba (who has lived around Blue Bank, Bergville and Pietermaritzburg) is alleged to be the head of a sophisticated syndicate that kidnaps people and then demands money from the kidnapped person’s relatives in order to secure their release.

Before her arrest, she managed to elude police by switching between male and female disguises.

The investigating officer received information from the public after local newspapers and online reported that the suspect was seen in the Bergville area. Assisted by an officer from the Ladysmith Visible Policing Unit, the investigating officer went in search of her. The search led them to the Bethany area of Bergville, where assistance from Bergville detectives was obtained. The group of police officers located and arrested the suspect late that evening.

Ndaba was brought to Ladysmith, where she proved to be co-operative. Two men, aged 20 and 29, were then taken in for questioning on Friday, April 11. Later the same day, the remains of a body were located in the Besters area. DNA samples were taken to verify the identity of the person found.

The suspects appeared in the Ladysmith Magistrate’s Court on Monday, April 14, facing charges of murder, extortion and theft by false pretenses. The charges related to the disappearance of 53-year-old Mr Joseph Kock, who was reported missing at Douglas SAPS (Northern Cape) by a relative. Being a truck driver, he was expected back home on January 29 after making a delivery in the Durban area. However, he did not return and on January 30, a missing persons report was filed. The truck was later found abandoned along the N3 outside Ladysmith. On February 23, the relative received a phone call from a person stating that the missing man was being held captive by very dangerous people and that a payment should be made to secure his release. The relative paid some money into the given bank account. Later, the wanted suspect, Lindokuhle Silindile Portia Ndaba, was linked to the incident.

“After local and provincial newspapers ran the story, the community did get involved,” commented Captain Charmaine Struwig.