Accused in Durban schoolgirl murder trial blame each other in court

The two men accused of killing a Durban school girl, while she was preparing for her grade 11 exams are fingerpointing each other in telling their versions of the incident, at the Durban High Court on Tuesday. 

The victim Wandile Aphiwe Ngcobo (17) from uMlazi was a pupil at Durban Girls Secondary School. She was allegedly killed by Sifundo Bongani Bhengu (39) and Bongani Freedom Jali (24) both from uMlazi. 

According to the State, Ngcobo was home alone on May 28, 2024, studying for her exams when the men entered her home and robbed and murdered her.

Ngcobo’s body was gagged and bound in her home in uMlazi. Bhengu and Jali are charged with housebreaking with intent to steal, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and murder. 

During the cross-examination of Mondli Ngcobo, the father of the school girl, advocate Vicky Nattar put it to him that Bhengu denied all the crimes he is alleged to have committed. 

Bhengu though his lawyer, Nattar, said he had two houses - one in uMlazi and the other in Clermont. At the time, he was residing in Clermont as he had bought that house from his father.

“It is my instructions that Jali drives a Toyota Avanza and he uses it to commute school children. He is popular and well-known among schoolchildren. On the day of the incident he (Jali) insisted that he used his charm to enter your (Ngcobo) premises,” Nattar put it to Ngcobo.

Ngcobo asked Nattar how he was supposed to answer that. After a short break, Nattar put the version of his client Bhengu.

Bhengu said he went to uMlazi at midnight on 28 May, and he met with Jali and his friend Bruino and they asked him for money. Bhengu bought them food.

He said Jali wanted to stay with him because he was intoxicated from smoking crystal methamphetamine.

Bhengu said at that time he smoked Mandrax. Additionally, Jali borrowed money from Bhengu because he wanted to repair the tires of his Avanza. However, Bhengu said he did not lend him money because he was renovating his two houses. 

“Jali decided to make a plan on the morning of May 28. He waited for the father (Ngcobo) and the younger sister to leave,” Bhengu added.

He said he told Jali that there was another sister in the house. Bhengu said Jali was desperate for the money and he did not listen to him. He said he watched him while he stood from the water meter of his property in uMlazi. 

“I don't know how he gained access to the house, but he was there for 15 to 20 minutes," he said. 

He said Jali came back with a cellphone that he bought from him for R300 as he knew it was stolen. Bhengu said Jali wanted him to make a plan for the TV that he had stolen, and he did by calling his friend Sticks. He said the three of them and another unknown male took the television from Ngcobo’s home and went to sell it at Russell Street in Durban to a foreigner for R3000. He said Jali paid for petrol for the car and gave him R400. “At this point, I didn't know that he had murdered the girl,” he said. 

He said afterwards they went to the U section at uMlazi and that is when Jali told him that he killed the girl. 

Judge Garth Harrison asked Nattar for clarity on the version he had put. He asked where the portion about Jali boasting to use his charms to gain access to Ngcobo’s home fitted into this new version of events.  Nattar tried to explain it. 

“I want you to take an instruction and you tell me,” said Judge Harrison. 

Bhengu confirmed his version. Last week Jali had told the court that he was intoxicated and that Bhengu was the one who entered the Ngcobo household while he was at Bhengu’s home. 

The gallery in this case is always full of church members, ANC members, and community members. During the proceedings, Judge Harrison has had to warn the gallery to not interfere with the trial as they would make noise.

The trial continues. 

nomonde.zondi@inl.co.za