Emotions run high as sister of slain PE cop grills brother-in-law

Nobubele Mtwesi, was giving evidence in the Port Elizabeth High Court on Wednesday, in the murder trial involving her brother-in-law, Mlungisis Tsitsi and five other men charged with executing a hit on Ivy Mtwesi’s life.

Tsitsi, who was a police officer stationed at Motherwell police station, stands accused of orchestrating his wife Ivy’s murder during November 2015, she was also cop but was stationed at Zwide police station.

Ivy’s younger sister, accused her brother-in-law of having an affair and physically fighting with her sister.

“During the fight Ivy got out of the vehicle while the vehicle was moving, she showed me her injury on her leg. The first quarrel I observed when my brother-in-law arrived at the house, I heard some scuffling and one of them was pulling the child trying to dispossess the child from the other,” she told the court.

Trying hard to hold back tears, Mtwesi said that Ivy had lost one of her children and felt that her husband gave her no attention.

“There was another fight after the child’s burial. Ivy said to me he only paid attention to his girlfriend. Their quarrels were bad,” she said.

She further recalled her sister’s heartbreaking words at the time she was mourning the loss of her son: “Boeti you are no more listening to me, irrespective my child died but you are listening to your girlfriend.”

At the time of her alleged murder the mother of two was separated from her husband and living with her sister and grandmother.

Tsitsi, Thembani Rorwana, Msindisi Bhebhula, Ndiphe Soqokomashe, Sicelo Mbanga and Luyanda Nyumka are facing charges which include conspiracy to commit murder, murder and unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition.

The State alleges that Tsitsi approached Soqokomashe to arrange hitmen to kill his wife. Tsitsi then allegedly paid hit money over to Soqokomashe to execute the plan to have Ivy killed.

The State further alleges that on the morning of Novermber 12, 2015, Bhebhula, Mbanga and Nyumka, travelled to Zwide police station and waited for Ivy to leave work.

The indictment reads the men followed her car and over took it. They then proceeded to Motherwell and waited for her at a street close to her family residence.

According to the State before Ivy’s car could enter the gate at the house, two of the men got out of the vehicle and fired shots while she was still in the drivers seat. She was struck by stray bullets, lost control of the car and it crashed into the fence.

The alleged shooters then ran back to the get away vehicle and travelled back to Zwide.

Ivy died at the scene as a result of gunshot injuries.

The trial continues.

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