Vegetable vendor whose girlfriend was burnt beyond recognition denied bail

Sithobele Qebe was arrested three days after allegedly battering his girlfriend and was then released on bail.

The vegetable vendor, a father of two, then broke his bail conditions – barring him from contacting Siphokazi Booi – and asked her to move in with him.

Barely a month after the initial alleged battering, Booi was found burnt beyond recognition on a dump site, just metres away from his shack in White City, Mbekweni.

She was identified through DNA tests.

Qebe, 30, now stands accused of murder. A fresh application he had made to be released on bail was refused on Thursday by the Paarl magistrate's court.

Western Cape National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said Qebe was first arrested on August 10 for allegedly assaulting Booi. He was charged with assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He was released on bail and the assault case postponed to October 4.

In his latest bid for freedom, Qebe told the court he had two children.

“He added that he had family ties in Paarl and that he had an alternative address in Strand where he could stay if released on bail. He further added that he had no previous convictions and no pending cases. He assured the court that he would not interfere with witnesses. He had a fruit and vegetable stall and ran a spaza shop,” said Ntabazalila.

But the state opposed his release on bail. To bolster its case prosecutor Sarene de Villiers called investigating officer Sgt Vivienne Engelbrecht to testify. Engelbrecht is also the investigating officer in Qebe’s assault case.

“Sgt Engelbrecht testified that Qebe confessed in a warning statement that he assaulted Booi in the early hours of September 5,” said Ntabazalila.

“After the assault, she vomited and fell asleep and didn’t wake up. He said he then realised that she has died. He confessed that he collected a dustbin, bundled her limp body into it with her feet up, then covered them with a plastic sheet.

“He said he then pushed the dustbin to a dumpsite where there was a fire. He claims that he left her body in the dustbin at the dumpsite and denies that he burnt her body. The body was confirmed to be that of Booi after DNA was taken from family members.”

Ntabazalila said a witness had linked Qebe to the crime. The witness had allegedly been hiding behind a wall as SA National Defence Force soldiers patrolled the area to enforce Covid-19 regulations.

“The witness knows Qebe very well, as he usually buys fruit from his stall.”

“The court also heard that after was he released on bail [following the first assault incident], Qebe contacted Booi and asked her to come stay with him despite his bail conditions barring him from contacting her. Qebe also threatened to flee to the rural areas in the Eastern Cape once he was released on bail.”

De Villiers poked holed in Qebe’s claims that he supported his children.

“He broke his bail conditions in the assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, he murdered a state witness, Booi, in that case, and three community organisations have sent three petitions to the court opposing his release on bail,” said Ntabazalila.

“De Villiers added that three women were interviewed in Strand, where the accused plans to move while on bail. The women opposed his planned move to that area and a further petition has been submitted to the court from that community. She further argued that the authorities could not guarantee the safety of Qebe, as his shack and vehicle were burnt immediately after Booi was found murdered.”

Qebe’s hopes of being released on bail were dashed.

“The court agreed with her [De Villiers] and denied Qebe bail. It further noted that the accused lied to the court when he said he had no pending cases against him, as the assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm case was pending at the time of her [Booi's] death,” Ntabazalila said.

“The NPA welcomes the decision of the court as it intensifies its efforts to successfully prosecute gender-based violence and femicide cases.”

The case was postponed to October 7 for a regional court date.

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