Man denies murder of teacher girlfriend

A KwaZulu-Natal teacher has denied having anything to do with the disappearance and murder of a fellow teacher who was also his girlfriend in 2015.

The victim, Cebisile Happiness Khoza, who was teaching in Muden went missing on May 7 2016, with her body later discovered along a gravel road on Boiling Fountain Farm in the Harburg district.

She had been stabbed multiple times and her body had been set alight.

Now her former boyfriend, Siyamamkela Odwa Nompumza, who was a fellow teacher at Nogida High School in Muden is on trial for her murder.

In evidence before Judge Nkosinathi Chilli, Nompumza who reported Khoza’s disappearance to the police, alleges he had left her at a hair salon, went to his room and fell asleep and when he later drove to the salon he found it closed and Khoza was not there.

Warrant Officer Moses Ndawonde said police had not initially suspected Nompumza of involvement until his fingerprints were allegedly found on a cooldrink bottle which had contained petrol at the crime scene.

The case is proceeding.