‘Malume’ who sold sweets to school children arrested for raping and killing 9-year-old girl

A South Coast mother wants justice after a “trusted Indian uncle” who sold sweets and chips outside the local school allegedly assaulted and raped her 9-year-old daughter before strangling her to death with his bare hands.

Lusanda Nkomo’s naked, battered and bruised body was found by a local herdsman in a bush, a day after she had gone missing.

A 57-year-old man, formerly from Phoenix, and known to Lusanda and her family, was arrested and charged for her rape and murder. He lived on the same street as the family.

The accused abandoned his bail application at the Scottburgh Magistrate’s Court last Monday. He is due back in court on April
17.

The Grade 4 pupil at Umkomaas Drift Primary School was reported missing on March 17.

Local ward councillor, Jane Naidoo, said police had indicated that Lusanda had been “assaulted, raped and strangled”.

“I believe that the accused has made a confession. There have been rumours that the child’s eyes had been gouged out and this could have been a muti killing.

“There are also claims that the suspect could be a serial killer or rapist and had done this to children in other areas.

“He is not well known in this area. He had only moved here a few months ago. He is from Phoenix,” said Naidoo.

She said what was even more worrying was that the suspect and his wife were vendors outside a school in the community, where they sold sweets and chips to children.

“He is a risk and danger to other children. We do not want him back in our community. He must be denied bail, pending the finalisation of this case. The fact that he is known to the child and her family and that they share a relationship or friendship based on trust is very sad.”

The child’s distraught mother, Nokulunga Nkomo, said Lusanda and her older sister had returned home from church last Sunday and were busy with chores, when the suspect called for Lusanda and asked her to go to the shop to buy airtime for him.

“When she returned from the shop, he had asked her to go with him to find his dog that had escaped from his yard.

“The dog always runs off and at the time she did not find his request suspicious or out of the ordinary. He was the Indian uncle we all trusted.

“Lusanda trusted him and went with him to look for the dog.

“He had moved into the area in October last year,” Nkomo said.

She said when Lusanda failed to return home later that afternoon, members of the community rallied to look for her. The police were also alerted, said Nkomo.

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