KEY POINTS
- A police officer, Busikhaya Zinto, was sentenced to 15 years for murdering Mthibeli Lehana during a drunken argument over being called “inkwenkwe.”
- Zinto’s contradictory testimony during the trial led the court to dismiss his claims of innocence, resulting in his conviction.
- The case highlights the dangers of alcohol-fueled violence and the need for accountability, especially among law enforcement officers.
A police officer in the Eastern Cape has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the murder of an acquaintance during a drunken argument over being called inkwenkwe (a boy).
The incident, which occurred in 2019, highlights the tragic consequences of alcohol-fueled disputes and the misuse of firearms.
Forty-two-year-old police officer Busikhaya Zinto was convicted by the Mount Fletcher Regional Court for the murder of 35-year-old Mthibeli Lehana.
The two men, along with friends, were drinking alcohol while traveling in a car on November 25, 2019, in Fanta Location, Eastern Cape.
The argument erupted when Lehana referred to Zinto as inkwenkwe, a term some in Xhosa culture consider derogatory.
According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Luxolo Tyali, “While the vehicle was still in motion, Zinto took out a firearm and shot the deceased on the left side of the ribs.” The other occupants, intoxicated and distracted by loud music, only realized what had happened when they heard the gunshot and smelled gunpowder.
According to TheCitizen, the driver stopped the car, and Zinto fled, leaving his service firearm behind. Lehana was rushed to the hospital but later died from his injuries.
Inkwenkwe: officer’s contradictory testimony fails to save him from conviction
During the trial, Zinto pleaded not guilty, blaming other passengers in the car for the shooting. However, his testimony unraveled under cross-examination by prosecutor Zonke Maranjana.
Tyali stated, “The accused contradicted himself and changed his version on many occasions to paint a picture that he was not on good terms with one of the witnesses. The court dismissed his version as improbable.”
The court found Zinto guilty of murder and declared him unfit to possess a firearm. Barry Madolo, the Eastern Cape’s director of public prosecutions, emphasized the importance of holding perpetrators of violent crimes accountable. “The NPA daily prosecutes hundreds of such matters that affect the safety and wellbeing of our communities and to ensure justice for victims of crime,” Tyali added.
The case has sparked discussions about the role of alcohol in violent crimes and the responsibility of law enforcement officers to uphold the law. Zinto’s actions, as a police officer, have drawn criticism for betraying the trust placed in him to protect and serve the community.
