Life imprisonment for wife of slain Melmoth cop
A woman who ordered a hit on her husband has been jailed for 25 years.
Nelisiwe Magwaza was sentenced by the Mtunzini High Court on 25 July for the assassination of her spouse, Phiwayinkosi Magwaza, who worked as a police officer at Melmoth SAPS.
The husband was shot and killed by gunmen who entered his home at KwaMagwaza Reserve in Melmoth, northern KwaZulu-Natal, in August 2020.
Following further investigation, officers from the Hawks and SAPS also arrested hitman Bafana Biyela in KwaMashu, north of Durban.
Hawks' Bonnie Nxumalo said he was found in possession of the victim's service firearm.
"On 27 August 2020, Warrant Officer Magwaza was in his home at KwaMagwaza Reserve in Melmoth where unknown gunmen entered his home, assaulted, shot and killed him. The also robbed him of his service firearm and fled. The Hawks’ investigation led to the arrest of the wife and the hitman.”
Nxumalo said the hitman will spend life behind bars for the murder.
"Biyela was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances and 15 years imprisonment for illegal possession of firearm as well as ammunition. The wife, Nelisiwe was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for murder and three years for defeating the ends of justice," said Nxumalo.
The sentences will run concurrently.
