THE wheels of justice may have been too slow to turn, but the family of a young man from Ezimangweni near Amanzimtoti who was shot dead in June 2023 is glad that the case is finally concluding.

Also read: Family seeks justice after son is murdered

The Umbumbulu Magistrate’s Court recently found Lindokuhle Godfrey Mbhele guilty of murdering Nkosingiphile Hlengwa, 20, in broad daylight after he found him talking to his daughter. He will be sentenced on April 9.

The victim’s mother, Nomana Hlengwa, said when she was called to the scene not long after her son had left the house, she found him lying next to the road with a gunshot wound to the head.

“Paramedics and police arrived, but he was pronounced dead. When he left home earlier, I thought he had gone to see his friends as usual,” said Nomana.

An eyewitness later told her that Nkosingiphile had been talking with a young girl from the same area when the girl’s father’s car appeared on the same road. The father allegedly stopped the car, pulled out his gun and shot Nkosingiphile at point-blank range.

When the family went to the KwaMakhutha police station to open a case, Nomana said they found that the killer had beaten them to it and opened a case of his own, saying he had shot Nkosingiphile dead in self-defence after he tried to hijack him. After some meticulous police investigation, Mbhele was arrested and charged with murder. His daughter was one of the witnesses who testified against him.

“We are grateful to the investigating officer that we are about to get closure. We will show up in court, and we hope that he gets the maximum sentence,” said Nomana.

Do you have more information pertaining to this story? Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.