The Mthatha High Court has found a 45-year-old man guilty on five charges relating to the murder of his wife, whose remains were found buried under a bathtub in their home near Butterworth in July 2019.
Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority in the Eastern Cape, Luxolo Tyali says the court found Yibanathi Ndema guilty on charges of murder, acts with intent to defeat the course of justice, and three counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
He says Ndema murdered his wife, 36-year-old Noluvuyo Nonkwelo, and reported her as missing to the police.
Tyali says while still alive, the deceased once opened a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm against him and was granted a protection order in January 2019, but both were later withdrawn.
Ndema was arrested in August 2021, after Nonkwelo’s remains were found.
The case has been postponed to 2 October 2023 for pre-sentencing procedures.
