Johannesburg - Murder accused Ntuthuko Zikhali briefly appeared before the Benoni Magistrate’s Court for the murder of four-year-old Bokgabo Poo, whose body parts are still missing more than four months after her death in Wattville, Ekurhuleni, in October 2022.
At the time of her disappearance, community members went on a frantic search for Bokgabo Poo’s missing body parts, and two days later, they were led to the gruesome discovery of another body dumped in a dam in Wattville, Johannesburg. Some of her body parts are still missing to this day.
Even after police interrogation, Zikhali has failed to reveal what happened on that fateful day, let alone direct the family to where he allegedly hid some of the missing body parts.
The family of the deceased have expressed their disappointment following the postponement of her murder case, which was postponed to March 30, 2023, to allow the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Gauteng to determine whether the trial will be moved to a high or regional court.
Speaking to The Star outside court, Irvin Ndlovu, Bokgabo’s father, who was surrounded by members of the community and various anti-GBV groups, said he spent a difficult time over the Christmas season without his daughter beside him, adding that he wishes justice would leave the murder accused to rot in jail as he refuses to reveal where other body parts are hidden.
“Months later, we are still suffering, and we are not being told anything solid. For us, this is a total waste of time because even today, there was no sitting, and there was no trial. We did not even get to see the suspect. We were held in a small room here on the premises, and we were later told that the matter would resume on the 30th of March. It is very heartbreaking for us because we have to now wait more days without getting any closure,” Ndlovu said.
Zikhali is facing charges of kidnapping, rape, murder, defeating the ends of justice, and violating a corpse.
Ndlovu said the family is still suffering more than three months after her disappearance and was not able to have a good festive season without the presence of their daughter.
“We are very disappointed as the family.”
Ntuthuko Zikhali briefly appeared in the Benoni Magistrates’ Court yesterday (on Tuesday), with the matter being adjourned until March 30.
"We spent our Christmas Day at her grave site. We need answers. We need to know where the rest of her body parts are, and we need to know what transpired. All we are told is that the investigation has been completed. I still feel let down, and the law has been lenient to this guy who refuses to talk. I can’t say we had the best Christmas when we spent the day at her grave site and not with her.
“He should be locked up and the key thrown into the deepest sea. That will at least ease the pain of not spending our festive season without our child,” Ndlovu added.
The Star