Suspect in murder of Sammy Mqadi is her boyfriend, court told

Sammy Mqadi. Picture: Supplied

Durban - One of the men facing charges of kidnapping and killing 24-year-old Sammy Mqadi is her boyfriend, and CCTV footage from the uMlazi tavern where she was last seen shows the couple walking out together.

This emerged in the uMlazi Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday during the bail application of Siyabonga Vukani Mkhize, 32, and 26-year-old Senzo Zondo.

In addition to the murder and kidnapping charges, Mkhize also faces a charge of raping Mqadi. In their statements read in court motivating for bail to be granted, both men said they intended to plead not guilty. The State opposed bail.

Mkhize and Zondo were arrested on October 8 and 9 respectively, for murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm and theft, after Zondo was found in possession of Mqadi’s cellphone.

Mqadi was reported missing at the Bhekithemba police station in uMlazi and was last seen on September 20. She was from Margate and had been renting a room in uMlazi’s AA section.

The two men had pointed out where Mqadi’s body was dumped in eManzimtoti and it was the same place where a decomposing body wrapped in a blanket was found on September 23.

In court, the investigating officer, Warrant Officer Alex Gumede, said it would hinder his chances of apprehending a third suspect in the case if the men were granted bail.

He told the court how Mkhize, Zondi and a third suspect bundled Mqadi’s body into a taxi that Mkhize had been driving that day and transported it to eManzimtoti.

“I’m not sure what he (Mkhize) will do to the third suspect should he be released. He also knows the witnesses in the matter and I fear for them should he be granted bail,” Gumede testified.