The trial of the 25-year-old suspect who had allegedly killed an on-duty police officer at the Mutale Police Station in 2020 is to start in the Thohoyandou High Court on Monday, 5 February.
Muvhuso Morgan Nyadzani from Makwilidza village in the Nethengwe area was arrested on 27 November 2020 for kidnapping and rape. While he was being taken to the holding cells, he allegedly produced a knife, stabbed police officer Mbulaheni Ronald Mulanduli in the neck several times, and left him for dead when he escaped. Before he disappeared into the wilderness, Nyadzani allegedly took all the deceased's belongings from his pockets. He was arrested again a few days later when he sought help from a traditional healer.
The deputy public prosecutor (DPP) based at the Thohoyandou division of the High Court charged Nyadzani on nine counts, including murder, rape, kidnapping, and escaping from lawful custody.
He is further charged with contravening a protection order. This after his former girlfriend, Thovhedzo Ramavhona, who had applied for a protection order against him for assaulting her multiple times, claimed that he showed up at her house despite the protection order, kidnapped her, locked her up in a room and raped her several times.
Nyadzani is also charged with housebreaking. On 18 October 2018, he allegedly broke into Ms Rofhiwa Tshialatshithu's home and stole two car keys and R10,000 from a safe.
A family member of the deceased police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the family had been waiting for this trial for a very long time. "We have been waiting for over a year for this case to proceed, and we hope that the accused will tell us why he killed my uncle," she said.