Faith Nongcebo Ntombela, a 44-year-old court employee, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for orchestrating the murder of her husband, Captain Zwelakhe Ntombela, an officer with Durban Metro Police.
The Durban High Court delivered the verdict on Friday, November 29, 2024. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, popularly known as the Hawks, disclosed details of the case, which dates back to May 3, 2023.
Captain Ntombela was shot dead outside his home in Umlazi. Investigations revealed a calculated plot involving Faith Ntombela and accomplices, including a hitman.
“During the investigation, it emerged that Faith had stolen both her husband’s private and service firearms before the fatal shooting,” said Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo.
The arrest of the hitman, Mzo Ntombela, 28, in July 2023 at Msinga led to significant breakthroughs. Captain Ntombela’s stolen firearms were recovered from Mzo’s homestead in KwaMaphumulo.
Mzo pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder. His cooperation revealed the involvement of two other accomplices: Khulani Cele and primary school principal Sithembiso Khumalo, 53.
Faith Ntombela was found guilty of murder, theft of firearms, and defeating the ends of justice. Her sentences include life imprisonment for murder, 10 years for theft, and two years for obstruction, all to run concurrently. Cele and Khumalo’s trial is scheduled to continue in April 2025.
KwaZulu-Natal Hawks Provincial Head, Major General Lesetja Senona, praised the investigation and welcomed the court’s judgment, affirming the commitment to justice for victims of violent crimes.
