Six suspects in court for Mercy Ndou's murder case

The number of suspects, accused of the ritual murder of Mercy Ndou (33), grew from five to six.

Residents from Thohoyandou and Ndou’s village, Tshitavha, were shocked to learn that one of the suspects is a former police captain.

Gerson Mathoho (52) appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on Thursday with his co-accused Shonisani Muruge (52), Azwindini Ndou (42), Khuthadzo Tshidino (28), Sirindi Rhulani and Eric Khobo (30). They are facing charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Court attendees were shocked to learn that Mathoho and Khobo are also implicated in another murder, that of Azwitamisi Neluvhada from Mahunguwi in 1999. The two men are also facing additional charges of conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping Brian Aluwani in Tshanzha during 2011.

The six suspects’ arrest follows an almost four-year-long police investigation into the murder of Ndou. Her life was cut short in June 2014 by the sharp blade of ruthless ritual killer(s) for her body parts.

At the time the Limpopo Mirror had followed the story, as well as the court case of a Tshitavha-based traditional healer that was later successfully convicted of Ndou’s murder. The 48-year-old Nelson Baloyi was arrested on 1 July 2014. The Thohoyandou High Court found him guilty of murder on 23 September 2016 (read our full report on the story here).

Local police, however, suspected that there had to be more to the case, and they continued with their investigations, which led to this week’s arrest.

“This sentence did not stop the police from continuing with their investigations, as it was believed other conspirators could still be on the loose,” said provincial police spokesperson Lt-Col Moatshe Ngoepe on Tuesday. A concentrated effort, in the form of Operation Thuma Mina, was launched which led to the arrest of the five new suspects in the matter.

The suspects were not asked to plead and their case was transferred to the Makuya Magistrate’s Court where they are expected to bring a formal bail application on 25 April.

All six will remain in police custody until then.

Date:20 April 2018

By: Elmon Tshikhudo & Tracy Ngobeni

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