A Grahamstown man who hacked his girlfriend to death with an axe is due to be sentenced in the Port Elizabeth High Court on Thursday 20 March.
A Grahamstown man who hacked his girlfriend to death with an axe is due to be sentenced in the Port Elizabeth High Court on Thursday 20 March.
Nkcazo Mpehlo, 39, a well known member of the community, murdered his partner, Nontsikelelo Mtwisha, 32, in the toilet of their Vukani home.
Mpehlo handed himself over to police after attacking Mtwisha with an axe on Sunday 7 July last year.
Mpehlo and Mtwisha had been living together in Vukani, while he was still in the process of finalising a divorce with his wife.
People in Vukani were shocked as police officers arrived at the couples' home and removed Nontsikelelo Mtwisha's battered body from the house they shared.
The case was transferred to the Grahamstown High Court earlier this year and was later transferred to the Port Elizabeth High Court where sentencing is expected to take place today.
Mpehlo was denied bail in the Grahamstown Magistrate's court on 13 August much to the relief of Mtwisha's devastated family.
Speaking to Grocott's Mail on Monday after Mpehlo's court appearance Mtwisha's sister Phumeza said the case being moved to Port Elizabeth is a major problem for the family.
She said travelling up and down to be in court was a big problem because they were not reimbursed for travel costs.
"Five of us including the driver have to travel to Port Elizabeth and we don't get any assistance from the court," she said.
During the lengthy bail application state prosecutor Lungile Msutu revealed shocking details regarding Mtwisha's murder.
He told the court that Mtwisha had been attacked with an axe while she was in the toilet relieving herself.
He said she was struck several times on the head with an axe and locked in the house, where she died immediately.
Msutu said Mtwisha's body was still in the toilet when the police arrived at the house.
Mtwisha's father, Reverend Lulamile Mtwisha, told Grocott's Mail shortly after the incident that although he was devastated, as a Christian man he would leave everything in God's hands.
"I am deeply saddened by the way he killed my child. And afterwards he locked the door," he said. "My child lost her life locked in that house, maybe someone could have helped her if he had not locked the door."
Mpehlo appeared briefly in the Port Elizabeth High court on Monday 17 March and the case was postponed until Thursday for sentencing. He remains in custody.
