Councillor’s daughter(13) killed: beaten suspect, succumbs to injuries
A 36-year-old murder accused was beaten and is recovering in hospital after stabbing a 13-year-old girl learner to death after she refused to give him R5.
LIMPOPO – Supected killer, Nkhensani Morris Nghunyule (36) was buried at 03:00 before the sun rose as, according to his family, they did not want the community to disrupt the funeral, as had been threatened.
Only family members attended. Nghunyule allegedly killed the 13-year-old Neo Bembani on her way from school recently.
Neo, who had refused to give Nghunyule R5, was buried last week Saturday.
On the same day, Nghunyule succumbed to his injuries, sustained while being beaten up for his alleged actions.
WO Thomas Makhubele from the Giyani Police Station confirmed that Nghunyule passed away. He faced a murder charge at the time of his death.
According to Samuel Sithole, Nghunyule’s uncle, Nghunyule was an ordinary child who showed potential as he grew up. He passed matric well, and obtained a B symbol in agriculture.
Not having the finances to study further, he spent time looking for a job until he registered for a security course.
Thereafter he worked in Johannesburg for several years. Unbeknown circumstances led him to lose his job. By then, Nghunyule was married with a daughter, around the same age as the unfortunate victim he murdered.
“My nephew spent years without finding any other work. We suspect that the stress took its toll on him as he soon displayed changes in his personality,” said Sithole.
Sithole explains how his sister called him to ask him to assist as Nghunyule was behaving strangely.
Sithole recalls how he was admitted to a mental health institution for a period of two weeks at one point. Seeing no changes, they took him back there at another time.
Nghunyule ran away. Sithole then took him to a traditional healer who tried to help. Again, Nghunyule ran away.
The family nevertheless considered him harmless as he stayed indoors and only came out to take walks in the night.
According to witnesses, his mother was the first person to arrive at the scene as soon as news of Neo’s murder broke.
