News / Africa
Alleged thief thrown from 3rd floor
05 May 2011 at 07:23hrs | Views
The theft of a cellphone might be behind the death of a young man who was pushed from the third floor of a block of flats in Pietermaritzburg's CBD in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Police established that Sboniso Dlamini, 20, was stabbed in the head before he was pushed from the third flood of Dube House at the corner of Chapel and Jabu Ndlovu streets.
Police, who were patrolling the area, found his body on the pavement of Jabu ­Ndlovu Street at about 02:00.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joey Jeevan said a 23-year-old woman, who is believed to be the owner of the stolen cellphone, and two men, aged 22 and 25, were arrested in connection with the murder.
Argument
It is not clear what happened in Room 51 before Dlamini was pushed out of the window.
Neighbours said they heard about the incident only when they returned from work. Others said they only heard about it when police arrived in the building to investigate the murder.
Jeevan said Dlamini got into an argument with a friend, "which resulted in one of the men producing a knife and stabbing Dlamini in the head".
"It is further alleged that the suspects thereafter pushed Dlamini out of the window, fatally wounding him.
"A post-mortem will be held to determine the exact cause of death," said Jeevan.
The Witness established that earlier that night Dlamini allegedly stole a cellphone belonging to the arrested woman, who is a tenant in the same building.
Dlamini's friend, Nhlanhla Ntombela, said: "The woman confronted him about the cellphone and he admitted taking it. But he could not get it out where he had hidden it in a drainage pipe.
"I remember him asking me how the woman found out that he had stolen the phone."
It is believed that after taking the cellphone, Dlamini went to have a drink at Shepstone House in Langalibalele Street and returned to the room in Dube House at about 21:00.
Shocked
A group of women who live in Room 10 said the owner of the cellphone was picked up by the police.
"We know that he stole her phone, but as far as we know they spoke about that and it was over.
"We were shocked to find out she has been arrested," said one of the women.
Jeevan said police are continuing with the investigation and a further arrest is expected. She said the suspects will appear in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate's Court on Thursday.
Police established that Sboniso Dlamini, 20, was stabbed in the head before he was pushed from the third flood of Dube House at the corner of Chapel and Jabu Ndlovu streets.
Police, who were patrolling the area, found his body on the pavement of Jabu ­Ndlovu Street at about 02:00.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joey Jeevan said a 23-year-old woman, who is believed to be the owner of the stolen cellphone, and two men, aged 22 and 25, were arrested in connection with the murder.
Argument
It is not clear what happened in Room 51 before Dlamini was pushed out of the window.
Neighbours said they heard about the incident only when they returned from work. Others said they only heard about it when police arrived in the building to investigate the murder.
Jeevan said Dlamini got into an argument with a friend, "which resulted in one of the men producing a knife and stabbing Dlamini in the head".
"It is further alleged that the suspects thereafter pushed Dlamini out of the window, fatally wounding him.
"A post-mortem will be held to determine the exact cause of death," said Jeevan.
The Witness established that earlier that night Dlamini allegedly stole a cellphone belonging to the arrested woman, who is a tenant in the same building.
Dlamini's friend, Nhlanhla Ntombela, said: "The woman confronted him about the cellphone and he admitted taking it. But he could not get it out where he had hidden it in a drainage pipe.
"I remember him asking me how the woman found out that he had stolen the phone."
It is believed that after taking the cellphone, Dlamini went to have a drink at Shepstone House in Langalibalele Street and returned to the room in Dube House at about 21:00.
Shocked
A group of women who live in Room 10 said the owner of the cellphone was picked up by the police.
"We know that he stole her phone, but as far as we know they spoke about that and it was over.
"We were shocked to find out she has been arrested," said one of the women.
Jeevan said police are continuing with the investigation and a further arrest is expected. She said the suspects will appear in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate's Court on Thursday.
Source - The Witness
