Durban — It emerged on Wednesday in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court that a 22-year-old man facing a string of kidnapping, extortion, and robbery charges in three separate cases had allegedly been linked to a murder case in KwaMashu still being investigated.
Sboniso Myeza appeared alongside his 18-year-old girlfriend charged with kidnapping and robbery where it is alleged that in October last year they assaulted a woman and used force and violence to take her bank card, Sassa card, a cellphone, and R2 000, in Mariannhill.
Myeza and his girlfriend remain in custody as he abandoned his bail application, while she was refused bail.
On September 27, Myeza is to appear in court F in a second matter where he is charged alongside Ntuthuko Mbhense with kidnapping and extortion where they are alleged to have committed the offences in 2020 in Mariannhill.
It was alleged that the victim had responded to an advert on Facebook for a nanny job.
She was fetched in a car by three men, allegedly including Mbhense, under the pretext that they were taking her for an interview for the advertised employment.
Further, it’s alleged that the woman was tied up and held for a ransom that was demanded from her family.
The victim was allegedly kept tied up in the bush for one night where one accused raped her.
She was reportedly taken to a house in Mariannhill where she was allegedly forcefully given drugs and raped again. Her family paid a ransom of R2 000.
Mbhense was arrested for this case, while in the dock for a similar case where he is charged with kidnapping, extortion, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and sexual assault.
He had been out on R3 000 bail when he was arrested after being pointed out by the alleged victim while in the dock.
On September 29, Mbhense and Myeza are to appear together in court for the above matter in Regional Court 3.
On Wednesday, the State asked that the case against Myeza and his girlfriend be adjourned for a decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), adding that following the couple’s last appearance the docket had been sent to the DPP.
The State said it had been advised that the DPP was still in the process of dealing with the docket as there were a number of other dockets linked to the case.
“The RC2 and RC3 matters (allegedly) link to a KwaMashu murder case... the State applies for a decision by the DPP.”
Further, the State explained through the investigating officer that it had learnt that the deceased in the KwaMashu murder case was a woman.
It said that the woman was the “owner of an item that was taken, that still needs to be investigated.”
It was likely that all the cases that Mbhense, Myeza, and his girlfriend faced were to be combined and heard in one court, said the State.
There was also a possibility that the combined matters would be heard in the Durban High Court.
The matter was adjourned to September 29 for a decision from the DPP.
Daily News