Two Eastern Cape wives are accused of using the same hitman in plots to take out their husbands.
One husband was killed in February, allegedly for a fee of R100000, but the second husband survived after the Hawks, acting on a tip-off, swooped.
In a bizarre twist, Hawks Eastern Cape spokeswoman Captain Anelisa Feni said one of the wives had been talking to the other wife about her marital problems.
She had then allegedly recommended the same hitman.
The Hawks arrested the two women and the alleged hitman on Wednesday in Mdantsane.
In a further turn in the saga, the Dispatch was told that the surviving husband had found the family house cleared of possessions by his wife while he was at work.
He apparently came home to an empty house.
Nomqondiso Tembu, 50, from Mdantsane, was arrested by the Hawks’ serious organised crime unit on Wednesday in connection with her husband’s death in February.
She appeared in the Mdantsane Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
She will appear again at the same court next Monday for a formal bail application.
Busiswa Nabi, 41, was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to murder her husband.
This was despite the alleged plan failing.
Feni said Tembu was nabbed after a tip-off was received last month alleging that she was involved in the Valentine’s Day murder of her husband, Vusumzi Tembu.
Ironically, Vuzumzi was a general worker at the same Mdantsane Court where she is appearing.
Tembu was arrested together with the alleged hitman, Simphiwe Wili, 47, of Cape Town.
The trio appeared in court together on Thursday.
Feni said it was alleged that Tembu recommended the hitman to her friend Nabi, who was going through a “rough patch” with her spouse.
However, the Hawks, on suspicion of the plot, arrested Wili before the murder could take place.
Feni said the arrests came after “an informer” last month alerted Nabi’s husband, Ludumo, of the plot to kill him.
“During October 2017 an informer alerted husband of the plot to kill him.
“He then informed the Hawks, and the serious organised crime unit immediately commenced with investigations, which eventually led to the arrest of the three last Wednesday,” Feni said yesterday.
“The suspects appeared briefly in court and were denied bail.
“They will appear again on November 27 for a formal bail application,” Feni said yesterday.
Feni said the two cases were linked after the arrest of Nabi and the hitman.
“After our investigations and questioning of the two, we managed to link the hitman to the murder of Tembu’s husband in February,” Feni said.
The body of Vusumzi Tembu was found near the township’s Sisa Dukashe Stadium on February 14.
He was shot by an unknown gunman just moments after he had watched a Premier Soccer League match between Chippa United and reigning African Champions League champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
At the time there was speculation that Vusumzi had been hit by a stray bullet while leaving the stadium.
Late yesterday Ludumo Nabi confirmed that last month he had been “alerted by someone” about the plot to kill him.
Ludumo, however, refused to discuss the matter further over the phone.
It is understood that the Nabi couple had been experiencing difficulties in their marriage in recent months and that the wife had since left their matrimonial home in the township’s NU 9.
A source close to the couple allege that “about four or five months ago”, Nabi came to their home with a truck while her husband was at work.
“She took all their belongings to a new house, which she had bought herself without her husband’s knowledge.
“She left him with nothing.
“She took everything and their home was like a house to let,” said the source. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
2 wives, 1 hitman, 1 murder, 1 survivor
One husband was killed in February, allegedly for a fee of R100000, but the second husband survived after the Hawks, acting on a tip-off, swooped.
In a bizarre twist, Hawks Eastern Cape spokeswoman Captain Anelisa Feni said one of the wives had been talking to the other wife about her marital problems.
She had then allegedly recommended the same hitman.
The Hawks arrested the two women and the alleged hitman on Wednesday in Mdantsane.
In a further turn in the saga, the Dispatch was told that the surviving husband had found the family house cleared of possessions by his wife while he was at work.
He apparently came home to an empty house.
Nomqondiso Tembu, 50, from Mdantsane, was arrested by the Hawks’ serious organised crime unit on Wednesday in connection with her husband’s death in February.
She appeared in the Mdantsane Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
She will appear again at the same court next Monday for a formal bail application.
Busiswa Nabi, 41, was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to murder her husband.
This was despite the alleged plan failing.
Feni said Tembu was nabbed after a tip-off was received last month alleging that she was involved in the Valentine’s Day murder of her husband, Vusumzi Tembu.
Ironically, Vuzumzi was a general worker at the same Mdantsane Court where she is appearing.
Tembu was arrested together with the alleged hitman, Simphiwe Wili, 47, of Cape Town.
The trio appeared in court together on Thursday.
Feni said it was alleged that Tembu recommended the hitman to her friend Nabi, who was going through a “rough patch” with her spouse.
However, the Hawks, on suspicion of the plot, arrested Wili before the murder could take place.
Feni said the arrests came after “an informer” last month alerted Nabi’s husband, Ludumo, of the plot to kill him.
“During October 2017 an informer alerted husband of the plot to kill him.
“He then informed the Hawks, and the serious organised crime unit immediately commenced with investigations, which eventually led to the arrest of the three last Wednesday,” Feni said yesterday.
“The suspects appeared briefly in court and were denied bail.
“They will appear again on November 27 for a formal bail application,” Feni said yesterday.
Feni said the two cases were linked after the arrest of Nabi and the hitman.
“After our investigations and questioning of the two, we managed to link the hitman to the murder of Tembu’s husband in February,” Feni said.
The body of Vusumzi Tembu was found near the township’s Sisa Dukashe Stadium on February 14.
He was shot by an unknown gunman just moments after he had watched a Premier Soccer League match between Chippa United and reigning African Champions League champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
At the time there was speculation that Vusumzi had been hit by a stray bullet while leaving the stadium.
Late yesterday Ludumo Nabi confirmed that last month he had been “alerted by someone” about the plot to kill him.
Ludumo, however, refused to discuss the matter further over the phone.
It is understood that the Nabi couple had been experiencing difficulties in their marriage in recent months and that the wife had since left their matrimonial home in the township’s NU 9.
A source close to the couple allege that “about four or five months ago”, Nabi came to their home with a truck while her husband was at work.
“She took all their belongings to a new house, which she had bought herself without her husband’s knowledge.
“She left him with nothing.
“She took everything and their home was like a house to let,” said the source. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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