Africa-Press – South-Africa. The father of Bokgabo Poo said the justice system had failed the family after news broke that the man accused of murdering his daughter had been out on bail for the rape of another young child.
Ntokozo Khulekani Zikhali was first arrested on 7 November 2021 after he allegedly raped a nine-year-old girl. He appeared in court and was granted R2 000 bail.
The National Prosecuting Authority previously told News24 that Zikhali violated his bail conditions when he went to Wattville, in Benoni, where Bokgabo disappeared.
“If the law had done its job properly, he would still be behind bars, and probably my daughter would still be alive today,” an emotional Irvin Ndlovu said on Monday.
“It is so painful because my daughter and I were very close. She wouldn’t want anyone else to come close to me. My daughter is out there lying in pieces, and here we are, feeding him with our tax money. I am feeling so much pain.”
Ndlovu was speaking to the media following his emotional outburst in the Benoni Magistrate’s Court during the brief appearance of Zikhali.
During court proceedings, Ndlovu broke down in tears as he pleaded with Zikhali to tell the family where Bokgabo’s missing body parts were.
“I might seem like a drama queen, but if you’ve been in my situation, surely you would understand. I need closure. I need to grieve properly.
“The grieving process hasn’t begun because I still don’t know where to go from here. I need to bury my child, and he just needs to tell us what happened to the rest of the missing body parts,” said Ndlovu.
Ndlovu said the family had received little information from the SA Police Service regarding the progress of the case.
“I just need him to tell me what happened to my daughter, and I want the same pain to be inflicted on him that he inflicted on my daughter.
“Him being locked up for years doesn’t bring my daughter back,” Ndlovu said.
Zikhali, 28, made a brief appearance in court on charges of kidnapping, rape, murder, defeating the ends of justice, and violation of a corpse.
It was also the first time that Bokgabo’s mother, Tsholofelo, was in attendance at court.
The four-year-old girl went missing on 9 October.
A frantic search by community members led to the grim discovery of a mutilated body in Tamboville.
A resident, Leah Khoza, was sweeping her yard when she discovered a child’s leg in a shallow grave.
The search then took a drastic turn when a mutilated body was discovered a few metres away from Khoza’s home.
Bokgabo’s family confirmed to News24 the body was positively identified, after DNA testing, at the Springs government mortuary on 15 October.
Zikhali was arrested in connection with the abduction and brutal murder of Bokgabo after CCTV footage showed the girl approaching a shop, with Zikhali seen in the distance.
Zikhali allegedly fled Boksburg when he learnt about the existence of the footage.
He was arrested in Boksburg North four days after Bokgabo went missing.
The case was postponed to 14 November.
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