GIRLFRIEND OF SLAIN POLICE OFFICER IN COURT FOR SENTENCING
GAUTENG: Bongiwe Praise Magwaza (23), a former girlfriend of a slain police Sergeant Kgopotso Ntsana (36), who was stationed at Elsburg police station is expected to be sentenced in the Johannesburg High Court for his murder on Wednesday, 14 August 2024.
Following an investigation by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime team, and insurmountable evidence presented at court. Magwaza was found guilty as charged on four counts, murder, possession of unlicensed firearm & ammunition and defeating the ends of justice. She was convicted on Monday, 01 July 2024.
The unyielding Hawks investigation has shed light on what transpired on the fateful night Sergeant Ntsana lost his life. On Friday, 02 December 2022, at about 22:30, the couple had an argument at their shared residence in Leomakalapa next to Windmill Park Estate in Boksburg. The argument escalated to a scuffle which resulted in Magwaza stabbing the deceased with a pair of scissors multiple times. Magwaza then took the deceased’s firearm from where it was kept and shot him on his head at point blank range.
She then placed the firearm next to the deceased in an effort to make it seem like he had committed suicide. She left the place of residence and spent a night at her other boyfriend’s place in Germiston. On her return to the house the next day, she informed the neighbours that her boyfriend apparently killed himself. Authorities were alerted and attended to the scene.
An inquest docket was registered at Dawn Park police station pending preliminary investigation. Blood spatter experts and photographers were called examine the scene. The crime scene reconstruction experts visited the scene on Monday, 05 December 2022. At this stage, Magwaza was in detention at Boksburg police cells for assault grievous bodily harm (GBH), whilst the probe was ongoing. The case was not placed on the court roll on 06 December 2022, owing to insufficient evidence.
Captain Sizwe Sibeko from the Hawks’ National Priority Violent Crimes (NPVC), swiftly picked up Magwaza from the cells before she could be let go. This followed forensic factual report that ruled out suicide as the cause of death due to inconsistencies discovered after the crime scene was reconstructed. Magwaza was charged with murder, she appeared in the Boksburg Magistrate’s on Wednesday, 07 December 2022. The eventually granted her R1000 bail in January 2023 following numerous appearances. The bail was revoked on 22 November 2023, she was referred to Sterkfotein for mental evaluation after she started acting erratic. The facility declared her fit to stand trial and she has been in custody ever since culminating in her recent sentencing proceedings which started on Monday, 12 August 2024. Following aggravating and mitigating appeals the matter is expected to be finalised today in the Johannesburg High Court sitting.
