Vusumuzi Dube
The sister of one of the men accused of killing South African footballer Senzo Meyiwa has committed suicide, with family members denying that she took her life because of the ongoing trial of her brother and four others.
Nqobile Maphisa (27), who is the sister of accused number three, Mthokozisi Maphisa, reportedly took her life by drinking rat person on Wednesday morning.
She was seven months pregnant.
During his testimony in January, lead investigator in the case Brigadier Bongani Gininda read his affidavit for his application for the warrant of Maphisa’s arrest, where he said the accused was linked to the murder by means of confession he made to a private person, his close friend, about his involvement in the alleged assassination.
In an interview with Zimoja, another one of the accused’s sisters, Sinqobile, said her sibling’s suicide had nothing to do with the Meyiwa case.
She also said her sister had seemed thrilled at the prospect of becoming a mother.
“We don’t have all the details on what made her decide to kill herself and her unborn baby. Nqobile was seven months pregnant, and she seemed happy that she was going to become a mother herself but we know this has nothing to do with our brother or Senzo Meyiwa’s case.”
Sinqobile, who had claimed her brother’s innocence in the past, said she had been receiving threats after her utterances to the media.
“I really don’t have words to explain the pain I am feeling at the moment. The pain hits straight to my heart because I never expected this from her. We were very close and we spoke about anything under the sun. What is more disturbing is that I’m currently in hiding after I received threats following interviews with the media on my brother’s wrongful arrest,” she said.
Bongani Ndlovu