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Slain Umlazi teenager's alleged killer turns against co-accused

Slain Umlazi teenager's alleged killer turns against co-accused

The Herald23-04-2025
The trial of two men charged with murdering Durban Girls' Secondary School pupil Aphiwe Ngcobo at her uMlazi home in May took a dramatic turn in the Durban high court on Tuesday.
Sifundo Bongani Bhengu, 39, and Bongani Jali, 24, are charged with housebreaking with intent to steal, robbery with aggravating circumstances and the murder of the teen. They pleaded not guilty.
Ngcobo, 17, a grade 11 pupil at the school in Greyville, was found bound and gagged with a deep wound to her chest.
Bhengu's legal representative Vicky Nattar, who after cross-examining Aphiwe's father Mondli Ngcobo on Tuesday, presented his client's version of events which pinned Jali as the main culprit.
This is in contrast to Jali's affidavit last week in which he said Bhengu — who lived opposite the Ngcobo family — had robbed and killed the teenager.
Bhengu said shortly after midnight on May 28 he met Jali with his friend whom he identified as Bruino. He said the pair had asked him for money and he bought food for them. Jali had alleged smoked crystal meth while Bhengu smoked Mandrax. Jali wanted to borrow money as he wanted to fix his Toyota Avanza and also buy tyres.
He said Jali then hatched a plan to get the money by breaking into the Ngcobo house, killing Aphiwe and robbing her.
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