A mother of five who lives near Mamelodi east of Pretoria is blaming police for the murder of her husband two weeks ago. Julius Ndomba Nyundu was shot and killed in full view of his family and relatives by three men who fled in a white Mercedes Benz. The 53-year-old’s widow Zanele Tati says her children, one of them a grade 12 learner, are now hesitant to go to school.
The victim was a key witness in a corruption and bribery case involving Bronkhorstspruit prosecutor, Solly Leballo.
Leballo was arrested in 2018 for allegedly accepting a R100 000 bribe from three murder accused.
Tati says police refused to place her late husband in a witness protection programme, despite him facing constant threats.
“We did tell the police that Ndomba (Julius Nyundu) was a witness in a case involving some guys in our neighbourhood. Since then, these guys were no longer talking to us; they constantly intimidated us. When I go out with the kids, they will swear at us. When my husband came from work, they will block his way. They threatened us. When we approached the police about this, they told to bring more evidence because what we told them was not sufficient to make a case,” she explains.
Police Spokesperson, Mathapelo Peters, says the family should approach police regarding allegations of intimidation.
She says investigations are continuing following Nyundu’s murder.
“A search is also under way for the two suspects. But the deceased was not a witness in a corruption case in reference. The family is advised to report to the investigating officer the allegations of intimidation for his further attention. We are not at liberty to publish any information relating to the witness protection programme as this may put the lives of any witness in danger,” adds Peters.
