Hitman in DA chief whip murder case plans to plead guilty
Thabo Mathonsi Chonco charged for the murder of uMngeni Local Municipality DA chief whip Nhlalayenza Ndlovu is in negotiations with prosecutors over a plea.
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THE convicted hitman who is co-accused with Inkosi Simphiwe Zuma in the murder of uMngeni Local Municipality DA chief whip Nhlalayenza Ndlovu is in talks with the State to plead guilty.
Thabo Mathonsi Chonco, who allegedly orchestrated Ndlovu’s killing from behind bars, has begun negotiations with prosecutors to “come clean” and enter a guilty plea.
Chonco’s lawyer, Mr Khanyile, who declined to provide his first name, confirmed the ongoing plea discussions in court.
“I want to tell the court that there are ongoing negotiations. The person I speak to the most is the senior prosecutor in the case, Advocate Lawrence Gcaba. The negotiations are incomplete,” Khanyile said.
Chonco has already been convicted in the Pietermaritzburg High Court for a separate mass murder in Bulwer, in which five members of the same family were gunned down. He also faces an additional murder charge in Imbali, Pietermaritzburg.
If his plea deal with the State succeeds, it could further complicate Zuma’s legal troubles. One of the co-accused in Ndlovu’s murder, Zwelithini Buthelezi, has already turned State witness. Zuma’s bail application in the Ndlovu murder case has been denied, as have those of other co-accused, Thobani Hlongwa and Khayelihle Shabalala.
The matter was postponed to October 23. Zuma and Chonco are also facing another murder charge related to the killing of Xolani Ntombela, also known as Ndlovu, who was gunned down at his eMasosheni home outside Howick.
Another suspect, Thembelani Mbatha, is also charged in the case. Ntombela/Ndlovu was reportedly opposed to the illegal sale of land in his area. That case, too, has been postponed to October 23 to allow the accused time to prepare their bail applications.
Zuma intends to apply for bail in that matter as well. Zuma is already out on R25 000 bail in a separate murder case, his first, relating to the killing of his cousin, Induna Qalokunye Zuma, of the Nxamalala Traditional Authority in Impendle.
The KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team rearrested Zuma shortly after his release while he was presiding over a traditional authority matter in Sweetwaters, Pietermaritzburg, in July.
The State has since indicated its intention to apply for Zuma’s bail to be revoked.Zuma’s lawyer, Advocate Mduduzi Nkomo, told the court that prosecutors had promised to furnish them with papers for the bail withdrawal application tomorrow (October 13).