FOUR GUILTY OF MURDERING ZOLISWA NKONYANA

After 40 postponements and more than five years, four of the remaining seven men standing trial for the murder of Zoliswa Nkonyana in 2006 have been found guilty of her murder in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court.

On Friday Lubabalo Ntlabathi, Sicelo Mase, Luyanda Londzi and Mbulelo Damba were found guilty by Magistrate Raadiya Whaten of the stoning and stabbing of 19-year-old Nkonyana.

“It’s been a long journey but four men have been found guilty for taking Zoliswa Nkonyana’s life. Viva justice for Zoliswa and all women!” said Cheryl Roberts from Free Gender Khayelitsha on Facebook at the trial.

The three other men were acquitted. The magistrate said that while they may have been present during the attack it could not be proved that they played a part in the murder.

In September, two of the nine men who were accused of the brutal slaying were also acquitted due to lack of evidence.

Nkonyana was beaten, stoned and stabbed to death by a group of around 20 men in Khayelitsha in the Western Cape on 4 February 2006 – just meters from her home – allegedly for being a lesbian.