Finally there will be closure for the Mtsweni family.
On Monday, November 7, Thabiso Mphuti pleaded guilty to the murder of the 14-year Ntokozo Mtsweni.
For her mom, Ms Helen and her father Mr Jeremiah Mtsweni this means they will eventually find answers on what really happened on that night their beautiful daughter disappeared from their home.
Ntokozo would have been 19-years-old soon, but instead of celebrating this young woman’s life, her parents relived the nightmare that started on Sunday, October 21, 2012.
Ntokozo left at approximately 13:00 to visit a friend in Tasbet Park Extension 1 where they were planning to tackle maths together. But Ntokozo never reached her friend’s house. When she did not return home that evening, her parents started phoning around frantically.
“I phoned Ntokozo’s cell phone several times but it was on voicemail,” Ms Mtsweni said.
Later that evening Mr Mtsweni received a message from his daughter’s phone. But it was not the message he has been praying for.
Ntokozo Mtsweni (14) was found murdered next to the N12 highway in a reed plantation on Thursday, November 8, 2012.
Instead a stranger SMSed him demanding R400 000 ransom for the safe return of Ntokozo.
“Dear Mr/Mrs U have made my life a living hell. Mr u took a lot from me it is time u pay me back. Now u robbed me my whole life and u thought u would get away with it,” was a part of the message.
For the parents the hell of not knowing where their daughter was, became worse when Mr Mtsweni received another SMS from his daughter’s phone wherein the stranger warned them not to go to the police if they value their daughter’s life.
As days dragged on the search for Ntokozo never stopped and her parents firmly believed she would walk through the door as if nothing happened.
Sgt Lucas Mafora from the Serious and Violence Crimes Unit, followed Ntokoza’s cell phone signals and it led him to a young man who had Ntokozo’s phone in his possession. He said Mphuti sold him the phone for only R60.
It was only after his arrest that Mphuti, who was younger than 16 years at that time, showed the police where he left Ntokoza’s body.
In a statement read out in court Mphuti said he was with Ntokoza and after smoking dagga, they picked up an argument. He then strangled her and left her body in a reed plantation next to the N12 highway.
“During the second week of her disappearance Thabiso came to our house and enquired about Ntokozo and asked if she was found already. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought my daughter’s alleged murderer lives only a few feet away from us,” Ms Mtsweni said choking on her tears.
State advocate Erik van der Merwe said Mphuti was sent to Weskoppies.
“No psychiatric diagnosis was made and Mphuti had no mental disorder at the time of the murder,” Van der Merwe said.
The report from Weskoppies and also the post mortem report were handed in as evidence.
Van der Merwe said after careful consultation with the Mtsweni family it was decided to only charge Mphuti with the count of murder. All the other charges, amongst others a charge of blackmailing was dropped.
“I am happy with the fact that my daughter’s murderer will be standing trial. He deserves to go to jail,” Ms Mtsweni said.
Judge Tony Thobane extended Mphuti’s bail and increased it to R5 000.
He will appear in court on December 19 and 20. This will give the state time to obtain a victim impact and a pre-sentence report.
Mr Tumelo Pilusa represents Mphuti.
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