The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is probing the death of an Eastern Cape mother accused of killing her four children. Nomboleko Simayile, 32, was certified dead on Sunday afternoon at a hospital in eNgcobo. Simayile was in police custody when she complained that she was not feeling well. On Thursday she allegedly collapsed in the holding cells of eNgcobo Magistrates Court and her matter was heard in her absence. “She did not say what the nature of the sickness was. She was then immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention, where she allegedly died. The cause of death is yet to be established once the post-mortem has been conducted,” said police spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana.

CIRCUMSTANCES FOR KILLING CHILDREN UNKNOWN

Simayile was arrested after she allegedly killed her four children on 9 November at Mhlabubomvu. She allegedly assaulted them to death using a sledgehammer. Simayile was arrested immediately after the incident. “Initial investigation revealed that she was responsible for the murder of the children in her home village. At the time of her death, the circumstances which led to the killing of children was still under investigation,” said Kinana.

SHE WAS DUE IN COURT NEXT WEEK AGAIN

She had already appeared in eNgcobo Magistrate's Court facing murder charges.She was remanded to 29 November for a formal bail hearing. Kinana added that an inquest docket regarding her death had been registered for investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).The four siblings 11-year-old Lizalise, her nine and five-year-old brothers Inganthi and Othalive, and her two-year-old sister, Elihle were buried on Friday.