By Luvuyo Mjekula
The 38-year-old man charged with the murder of his Vukani girlfriend will return to court next week.
Mthuthuzeli Madinda is charged with the murder of Ntombomzi “Nomirana” Nonze, 47.
Her decomposing body was discovered in the bedroom of her Vukani home by law enforcement authorities in May.
It emerged in court that Nonze had a protection order against Manyathi and she had opened a criminal case against him, with a medical report confirming she had sustained physical injuries. The defence had argued that Nonze had withdrawn the case against Manyathi, also failig to appear in court.
However, state prosecutor C Du Preez said Nonze had not been to court because she had been killed, allegedly by Manyathi. Du Preez revealed that when the court asked Manyathi, on 21 May, where Nonze was, he had pretended not to know where she was, only for her body to be found in the bedroom they shared in Vukani.
The case shocked the community of Makhanda. Shortly after Nonze’s death, Makhanda Ministers Fraternal and local residents marched from Raglan Road to her home in Vukani to pass condolonces and show support to her family.
A prayer service was held at her home and anti-GBV activists, church leaders clad in their clerical robes and counsellors, shared words of support. The moving ceremony was also attended by ordinary citizens who denounced the worryingly growing number of cases of GBV reported in Makhanda.
When Madinda appeared in court for a formal bail application, the court refused him bail.
Magistrate Mkontowesizwe Godolozi said releasing Mthuthuzeli Madinda would not be in the interests of justice, considering, among other things, that he was a flight risk and had a violent disposition.
In refusing bail, Godolozi found that there was a likelihood Manyathi would evade trial, after he admitted that he fled to the bushes when the police responded to the discovery of Nonze’s body in Vukani. The magistrate said the possibility of life imprisonment, if found guilty in the case, could also make Manyathi abscond.
If he released Manyathi, the decision would likely induce a sense of shock in the community and a lack of trust in the justice system, Godolozi stated. A petition containing more than 150 signatures had been filed by community members, pleading with the court not to grant Manyathi bail.
Godolozi also said the court should not lose sight of the gender-based violence scourge in communities.
The decision to refuse Manyathi bail came as a relief to women against gender-based violence, who were in court.
Responding to the judgment, Nolusindiso Baliti of Isikhalo, an anti-GBV organisation, said they were happy with the judgment because it sent a deterrent message to the public and would-be women and children abusers.
The case was postponed until 11 July for further investigation.
