An ex-convict who was also on parole has been arrested and charged with the rape and murder of a grade 11 learner. Wandile Ngcobo (16) from Umlazi township in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, was killed in May at her home by the parolee and his accomplice.
THE MURDER
It is alleged that Wandile was at home alone when the suspect and his accomplice stormed her house, raped her, and stabbed her multiple times before robbing the place. The suspects were never arrested until Sunday. KZN SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said the two suspects were arrested early Sunday morning. "The police arrested two suspects, aged 26 and 39, at Malukazi in Umlazi and Clermont for a case of rape and murder that took place on May 28, 2024. It is alleged that on the day of the incident, Mondli Ngcobo received a call from his neighbour informing him that they spotted an unknown person wearing a balaclava leaving his home with a TV set. "Ngcobo, who was at work at the time, asked the neighbour to investigate further as his 16-year-old daughter was in the house. The neighbour went to the house and discovered the body of Wandile with her hands tied at the back and with multiple stab wounds," he said.
SUSPECT WAS OUT ON PAROLE
Naicker said police were summoned to the house, and as they processed the scene, they discovered that the deceased was also raped. He said a case docket of murder, rape, and robbery was registered and later handed over to the provincial serial electronic crime investigation unit for investigation. According to Naicker, the investigators worked day and night to crack the case with no leads. "Finally, their dedication paid off as they arrested a 25-year-old suspect who had the deceased cellphone on Saturday at Malukazi. The investigators continued working throughout the day and night, and in the early hours of Sunday, July 7, 2024, they arrested a second suspect (39) who is a parolee, at the KwaShembe area in Clermont, for rape and murder. They were both detained and will be charged accordingly. They are expected to appear in court soon," he said.
