Four years after the vicious murder of elderly Ottery couple Rugeya and Riedwaan Addinall, the Western Cape High Court has convicted their gardener and his accomplice, finding them guilty on all counts.
Gcinilelitha Ngcobelothe and his co-accused Lwazi Ntsibantsiba were immediately taken to the mang as the couple’s family celebrated the much-anticipated outcome.
The duo were found guilty of the murder and robbery of the 82-year-old couple, who were found strangled in their home on January 5, 2019 while some of their stolen possessions had been packed into their car that was still in the driveway.
During the trial, medical experts revealed that the pensioners had suffered severe bodily trauma and tests revealed that the killers had also shoved Rattex into the ouma’s mouth.
Ngcobelothe and Ntsibantsiba turned on each other in court, both claiming they were not present during the murders.
However, Acting Judge Brian Hack said he was satisfied with the State’s evidence, that the gardener knew that the only time the ouma would open the gate was when he returned from the shops and that she would not expect two people to forcibly attack her.
Judge Hack rejected Ntsibantsiba’s version that the gardener had acted on his own, saying: “The second accused, by his instructions to his legal representative, tried to portray himself as young and pliable or subject to the will or authority of the first accused.
“His demeanour and confidence as a witness under cross examination presented a different picture…
“I reject his defence that he was not present when the crimes were committed and I am equally satisfied again the material evidence presented by the State is not disturbed or displaced by the possibility that the second accused was merely an innocent bystander or observer.”
Judge Hack found the duo guilty on two counts of murder and one count of aggravated robbery.
The case has been postponed to November 3 for sentencing.
Speaking outside court, the couple’s son Anwar said the family are happy with the outcome, and are hopeful that the duo will receive a life sentence.
“We hope that they will get the maximum penalty and we are happy with the outcome,” he added.
“It is still shocking how someone whom my parents had employed, given food to and looked after for nearly 10 years, could turn like that.”