A FOOTBALL coach who brutally stabbed two of his players over an allegedly stolen television set, was found guilty of two counts of murder at eSikhawini Regional Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Celimpilo Ntuli (26) was sentenced to 20 years on each count and will spend 40 years in prison.
He stabbed Ayanda Buthelezi (33) after accusing him of stealing his television set at Ndindima Reserve outside eSikhaleni in 2014.
During court proceedings it was revealed that he later killed Thulani Majola (33), after his friend and accomplice Muzi Gumede failed to commit the murder.
Testimonies revealed Ntuli instructed his friend Gumede to stab the second victim; however when he failed to kill him, Ntuli took over and started stabbing him several times on his neck, chest, stomach and his back.
According to Gumede, who turned state witness, Ntuli said ‘don’t play with him’ and used the knife to demonstrate how ‘a real stabbing’ must be done.
After the murders the two fled, but Gumede was arrested a few days later, and was only charged for his involvement in Majola’s murder and was convicted of the crime.
Ntuli was arrested at his girlfriend’s house in Ndindima several months later and charged with the double murder.
When he was arrested, he had been on the run from the police, resulting in a huge manhunt which went as far as Nongoma and Mzingazi.
Throughout the trial Ntuli has maintained his innocence and denied any involvement in the double murder.
He will spend the next 40 years in a cell at Qalakabusha Correctional centre in Empangeni.
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