Paddock detective praised for good work
The detective's hard work successfully secured outcomes in two separate cases.
Sergeant Mpendulo Mthembu is an asset to Paddock Detective Service.
Mthembu, one of Ugu District’s most seasoned detectives, was assigned to a murder case after the body of a woman (57) was found concealed in the ceiling of her residence on Chris Hani Road in Gamalakhe on September 11, 2023.
Mthembu immediately began investigations into the case, and Sphelele Pepeni Khulu (29) was arrested in Berea, Durban on March 25, 2024.
Khulu was sentenced to 22 years imprisonment for murder and a further 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on May 16.
The sentences will run concurrently. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
In another case investigated by Mthembu, the Ezinqoleni Magistrate’s Court sentenced Thembowakhe Elliot Hlongwa (40) to life imprisonment for murder on May 9.
He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
On December 19, 2023, a woman visited Hlongwa at his home and failed to return to her residence.
Her family became concerned and opened a missing person’s case. Hlongwa became the focus of the investigation and admitted to killing the victim. He was charged with murder and remained in police custody throughout his trial.
Ugu Detective Commander Brigadier Bongani Sibiya welcomed the sentences handed down. “It’s reassuring to the public that detectives under my command are able to effectively investigate cases as a result of training courses and mentorship provided by the Saps.”
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