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The Citizen
a day ago
- The Citizen
Husband accused of Mbombela doctor's murder back in court for bail hearing
The Nelspruit Magistrate's Court was jam-packed again yesterday, with family and friends of Dr Nondumiso Nkosi-Sibanyoni, as her murder-accused Sifiso Vusimuzi Sibanyoni appeared for his bail hearing. Mpumalanga News reports that Sibanyoni stands accused of premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder after his estranged wife was fatally shot in the parking lot of Virgin Active Gym Riverside at around 05:20 on November 20 last year. Protesters gathered outside the court, chanting 'No bail!' while the state and the defence cross-examined investigative officer Constable Sindisiwe Precious Nyaka of the SAPS Organised Crime Unit. The state asked Nyaka to confirm the two insurance payouts Sibanyoni received after his estranged wife's death. Nyaka confirmed that the first payment, R200 354, was received on February 4, 2024. A second amount of R1.5m was paid into his account on March 20, 2025. The court was also concerned about their children and where they are currently living. Nyaka stated that the youngest is living with Nondumiso's parents, while the eldest remains with the accused. The state further questioned why Nyaka had not inquired about Sibanyoni's passport or whether he posed a flight risk. 'I did not inquire about his passport since he is a South African citizen,' she responded. The state also informed Nyaka that the accused had two protection orders against him – from his wife and his father-in-law. Nyaka admitted she was unaware of these and had only learnt of them in court. When the tables turned, Sibanyoni's lawyer challenged the charge of conspiracy to commit murder. 'There is no regional or high court that will accept this charge if the police cannot connect the accused with the killer,' Sibanyoni's lawyer disputed. He also questioned why no other arrests had been made, given that three state witnesses had allegedly taken part in the crime. Nyaka said she could not yet identify the witnesses or disclose the evidence. Sibanyoni's lawyer repeatedly pressed Nyaka to provide proof of the evidence, but she was unable to present or disclose anything to the court. The defence also asked when and why she had signed the insurance documents. Nyaka explained that she met with Sibanyoni and his lawyer on the day of the post-mortem and signed off on the papers, as she had no reason to suspect him at the time. The defence returned to the state witness statements, which claim that the accused plans to interfere with the investigation if granted bail. Nyaka told the court she had a letter containing those statements and phone records of outgoing calls between the accused and the witnesses. However, when asked to produce audio evidence of the calls, she said she had none. Sibanyoni's bail hearing continues in the Nelspruit Magistrate's Court today. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Murder-accused husband back in Nelspruit court for bail hearing
The Nelspruit Magistrate's Court was jam-packed again today, July 23, with family and friends of Dr Nondumiso Nkosi-Sibanyoni, as murder-accused Sifiso Vusimuzi Sibanyoni appeared for his bail hearing. Sibanyoni stands accused of premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder after his estranged wife was fatally shot in the parking lot of Virgin Active Gym Riverside at around 05:20 on November 20 last year. ALSO READ: Doctor fatally shot in Mbombela Protesters gathered outside the court, chanting 'No bail!' while the State and the defence cross-examined investigative officer Constable Sindisiwe Precious Nyaka of the SAPS Organised Crime Unit. The State asked Nyaka to confirm the two insurance payouts Sibanyoni received after his estranged wife's death. Nyaka confirmed that the first payment, R200 354, was received on February 4, 2024. A second amount of R1.5m was paid into his account on March 20, 2025. The court was also concerned about their children and where they are currently residing. Nyaka stated that the youngest is living with Nondumiso's parents, while the eldest remains with the accused. ALSO READ: Husband accused of Mbombela doctor's murder received R1.5m in insurance payout The State further questioned why Nyaka had not inquired about Sibanyoni's passport or whether he posed a flight risk. 'I did not inquire about his passport since he is a South African citizen,' she responded. The State also informed Nyaka that the accused had two protection orders against him – from his wife and his father-in-law. Nyaka admitted she was unaware of these and had only learnt of them in court. When the tables turned, Sibanyoni's lawyer challenged the charge of conspiracy to commit murder. 'There is no regional or high court that will accept this charge if the police cannot connect the accused with the killer,' Sibanyoni's lawyer disputed. He also questioned why no other arrests had been made, given that three State witnesses had allegedly taken part in the crime. Nyaka said she could not yet identify the witnesses or disclose the evidence. Sibanyoni's lawyer repeatedly pressed Nyaka to provide proof of the evidence, but she was unable to present or disclose anything to the court. The defence also asked when and why she had signed the insurance documents. Nyaka explained that she met with Sibanyoni and his lawyer on the day of the post-mortem and signed off on the papers, as she had no reason to suspect him at the time. ALSO READ: Mbombela hit-and-run: Court hears horrifying testimony from trauma doctor The defence returned to the State witness statements, which claim that the accused plans to interfere with the investigation if granted bail. Nyaka told the court she had a letter containing those statements and phone records of outgoing calls between the accused and the witnesses. However, when asked to produce audio evidence of the calls, she said she had none. Sibanyoni's bail hearing continues in the Nelspruit Magistrate's Court tomorrow, July 24.
The Citizen
18-07-2025
- The Citizen
Husband accused of Mbombela doctor's murder received R1.5m in insurance payout
Murder-accused Sifiso Vusimuzi Sibanyoni (39) received over R1.5m in a life insurance payout following the death of his estranged wife, Dr Nondumiso Nkosi-Sibanyoni, who was shot in November last year. The Nelspruit Magistrate's Court heard on Tuesday that Sibanyoni, who is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and premeditated murder, was the beneficiary of a life insurance policy he had taken out on her. Constable Sindisiwe Precious Nyaka, from the SAPS Organised Crime Unit, testified that she is the investigating officer assigned to the case. ALSO READ: Mbombela: SAPS and private security collaborate to rescue kidnapped mother and child 'The accused received over R1.5m from the life cover on March 20 this year. There is additional money he also received, but I do not have the exact figure with me,' Nyaka said. She opposed bail, stating that Sibanyoni was capable of anything, having allegedly hired hitmen to murder his wife. She added that state witnesses feared for their safety. 'The accused knows my witnesses. He may interfere with the ongoing investigation, and I believe he is likely to evade trial. The case is very serious, and the accused is fully aware that the minimum sentence for the charge of femicide is life imprisonment,' she told the court. Nyaka said that another suspect, believed to have fired the fatal shot that killed Nkosi-Sibanyoni, remains at large. The shooting occurred in the parking lot of Virgin Active Gym in Riverside at around 05:20 on November 20 last year. ALSO READ: Mhala Driver's License Testing Centre closed due to robbery, offices closed Following eight months of investigation, Sibanyoni was arrested on Tuesday, July 8. When the court asked Nyaka why it took so long to arrest him, she replied that there had been investigative loose ends that needed to be tied up. She outlined that Sibanyoni had approached one of her witnesses and told him that he wanted muthi to kill his wife because she had filed for a divorce and wanted half of his assets. Protesters support the victim's family outside the Nelspruit Magistrate's CourtHe and the witness then allegedly met with another two men, who he was told were capable of killing his wife. Nyaka said he disclosed his plan to kill his wife to the two men, saying that she was a nuisance. She further told the court that the group drove to Mbombela in two vehicles and stopped at the Sonpark Shopping Centre, where Sibanyoni's car was left. 'He got into the other car, leaving his own behind because it was well known. He took the group to the victim's uncle's home to point out where she was staying. He then told the group that she always went to the gym before work at 05:00 and showed them her photo on his phone,' said Nyaka. She added that during negotiations with the accused, the supposed hitmen demanded payment upfront. The accused told the witnesses he had previously paid R70 000 to other hitmen to kill his wife, but they disappeared with the money. That's why he insisted she be killed before any payment was made,' said Nyaka. Sibanyoni's lawyer read his affidavit into the record, stating he was asleep at home when his wife was killed. An affidavit by his girlfriend, Thuli Zanele Shangase, supported this alibi, indicating that he was not present at the scene of the murder. 'On November 19 last year I was sleeping next to my partner. I have personal knowledge that he never left the house until people came to tell him the following morning that his wife had been killed,' the affidavit read. Sibanyoni's lawyer maintained that there was no identity parade to point out the accused as the person who killed the victim, and that there was no footage placing him at the crime scene. 'The accused denies his involvement in the murder and can afford R2 000 bail,' said Sibanyoni's lawyer. He was remanded in custody until Wednesday, July 23, for the continuation of the bail hearing. The victim's mother, Busisiwe Mazibuko, said she was pleased that the police had finally made an arrest, saying that it would bring the family some closure. The court noted that there were protesters outside the building calling for the accused to be denied bail. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
