By Khanyisa Khenese
Mthuthuzeli Manyathi appeared in the Makhanda Magistrate’s Court on Thursday morning, charged with the murder of his partner, Ntombomzi ‘Nomirana’ Nonze.
The case was postponed to 21 August because of an outstanding post-mortem report, the court heard.
Nonze’s body was found at her home in Vukani by law enforcement authorities in May.
In court, it was stated 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 The defence argued that Nonze had withdrawn the case against Manyathi and failed to appear in court.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.
When Manyathi appeared in court for a formal bail application, the court refused him bail. 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.
Speaking to Grocotts’ Mail on Thursday, Nolusindiso Baliti, a member of Isikhalo, an anti-GBV organization said they expected the magistrate to make an example of him as many women have been murdered by men in Grahamstown.
The postponement of the case disappointed the members of Isikhalo.
“I don’t understand why the post-mortem is taking long because even the family is panicking that the case is taking too long,” said Baliti.
