Mental evaluation delays bail application of metro cop who allegedly killed pregnant girlfriend

Murder-accused Durban metro police officer Const Sizwe Ngema will be detained in a solitary police holding cell overnight to allow for the completion of a delayed mental evaluation.

This emerged on Monday when Ngema made his fifth appearance at the Durban magistrate’s court, where he is facing charges of premeditated murder and theft.

Ngema is accused of fatally stabbing his pregnant girlfriend and fellow metro officer Yolanda Bianca Khuzwayo in a flat they shared on Joseph Nduli Street in Durban on March 31.

He allegedly recorded and shared on social media videos of Khuzwayo’s final moments — videos which have since circulated widely — and stole her cellphone.

Last week, state prosecutor Calvin Govender applied for him to be mentally evaluated by the district surgeon before his bail application, because “new information” had emerged in the docket against Ngema.

However, that assessment could not be conducted by the time the 27-year-old made his brief appearance on Monday.

“When the investigating officer went to the hospital he was told the district surgeon will only be available at 2pm because he’s busy testifying in another matter,” said Govender.

He said he was assured the assessment would be done on Monday afternoon and asked for the matter to be rolled over to Tuesday morning.

He also asked for the accused to be detained at Durban Central police station to ensure the evaluation could be carried out. 

Defence attorney Adv Ravi Reddy did not oppose the application but asked that Ngema be separated from others in the holding cell to ensure his safety, a request Govender confirmed would be escalated to the station commander.

Reddy then requested that he be allowed to proceed with the formal bail application after the submissions of the district surgeon when the court sits on Tuesday.

The bail application has been delayed for more than a month.

The court had to first deal with the matter of Ngema’s legal representation, which ended with his Legal Aid application being rejected and him enlisting the services of Reddy, and now the issue of his mental assessment.

However, Reddy was told it would depend on the court roll and there were two other bail applications set for Tuesday.

Govender indicated it would be “difficult” for the state to proceed with the bail application on Tuesday but would accept the court's decision on the matter.

TimesLIVE