An Eastern Cape woman has been convicted in the Mthatha High Court of the premeditated murder of a six-year-old girl.
Noluvuyo Sinyikatha, 23, drowned six-year-old Likuwe Mpokopi in a river in Ngcanasini, Mqanduli on August 28, 2024.
The State established that the motive for the young girl’s murder was that Sinyikatha believed the girl’s mother was responsible for the death of her own nine-month-old baby, who died a few days earlier.
Likuwe’s lifeless body was discovered floating in the river by women collecting firewood during the late afternoon of the incident.
How the child died
Community members gathered at the scene, but no one initially knew how the child had drowned in a shallow stream situated some distance from her home. Two days later, a local told the police she had seen Sinyikatha walking with the child towards the river shortly before midday on the day of the murder.
During the trial, the State relied on compelling circumstantial evidence and a confession that Sinyikatha later sought to retract.
Likuwe’s mother is the sister of Sinyikatha’s boyfriend and the father of her late child. The families had been living together at the Mpokopi homestead before the infant died following an illness.
When the trial commenced, Sinyikatha challenged the admissibility of her confession, resulting in a trial-within-a-trial. The court ultimately ruled the confession admissible.
Evidence before the court
State Advocate Siphokazi Maarman led evidence from witnesses, including the local who saw Sinyikatha leaving the homestead with the child, and another witness who observed a woman matching her description dragging a young girl towards the river. Although there were no eyewitnesses to the actual drowning, the court found that the State had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Director of Public Prosecutions in the Eastern Cape, Advocate Samkelo Mtwana, commended both the prosecutor and the investigating officer for their dedication and professionalism in securing the conviction.
The State said it is seeking an appropriate sentence that reflects the gravity of the offence.
The Eastern Cape spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Luxolo Tyali, said their attention now turns to the sentencing proceedings.
“The NPA remains steadfast in its commitment to combating violence against society’s most vulnerable members and ensuring that victims and their families receive justice through the criminal justice system,” Tyali said.
Sentencing is expected on September 18.
