Aphiwe Ndende’s Lawyer Claims State Witness Contradicted Himself in Lusikisiki Mass Murder Trial
Lusikisiki, South Africa – In a tense courtroom moment at the Mthatha High Court sitting in Lusikisiki, the defence lawyer for accused number two, Aphiwe Ndende, has pointed out what he calls clear contradictions in the testimony of state witness Lwando Abi, raising doubts about the reliability of key evidence in the trial over the brutal massacre of 18 people in Ngobozana Village. This claim, made during cross-examination on 21 January 2026, adds fresh drama to a case that has gripped the Eastern Cape since the shocking events of September 2024, where families were torn apart in a night of violence linked to deep-seated feuds.
The Horrific Events of the Massacre
The tragedy unfolded on 28 September 2024, when gunmen stormed two homesteads in Ngobozana Village, a quiet rural area near Lusikisiki. In a hail of bullets, 18 people lost their lives – men, women and children caught in what prosecutors say was a planned attack rooted in family rivalries and criminal orders. The victims included relatives from feuding clans, with the killings carried out in cold blood at close range. Survivors spoke of the terror that night, hiding under beds or fleeing into the dark as shots rang out.
This was not an isolated incident; it tied into earlier violence, including the murder of an ANC politician in August 2024 in a nearby area. The bloodshed shocked the nation, leading to a massive police hunt that rounded up suspects within weeks. Communities in the Eastern Cape, already struggling with poverty and limited services, felt the pain deeply, with funerals drawing crowds who demanded justice for the innocent lives cut short.
Six men now stand accused: Mzukisi Ndamase, 46, seen as the alleged mastermind; Aphiwe “AP” Ndende, 25; Siphosoxolo Myekethe, 45; Bonga “Rico” Hintsa, 31; Songezo “Mashiya” Vuma, 21; and Mawethu Nomdlembu, 36. They face 29 charges in total, including 18 counts of murder, attempted murder and illegal possession of firearms. All have pleaded not guilty, setting the stage for a trial expected to last months as the state builds its case around witness accounts and evidence from the crime scenes.
Turning Accused into Witnesses
Two men who were first arrested alongside the others – Lwando Anthony Abi and Zenande Paya – had charges against them dropped after agreeing to help the state. Under section 204 of the law, they turned state witnesses, promising to tell the truth in exchange for possible leniency. This move is common in big cases, where insiders can provide details that police might miss.
Abi, a former close friend and associate of Ndamase, took the stand first. He told the court he wanted to confess from the start to clear his conscience, saying the weight of the killings haunted him. “I wanted to clear my conscience,” he explained, describing how he handed himself over to police after seeing suspect photos spread online. A police officer even advised him to bring a lawyer to avoid rough treatment during arrest, showing the tense atmosphere around the case.
In his main testimony, Abi laid out a chilling story. He said he carried out orders from Ndamase, working with most of the accused except one to plan and execute the hits. The motive? A long-standing feud between Ndamase’s family and the victims’ clans, simmering over years and boiling over into deadly revenge. Abi described how Ndamase, even while in jail for other crimes, kept pulling strings, ordering more killings from behind bars. He painted a picture of a network where instructions flowed through calls and meetings, leading to the massacre at the two homes.
Abi’s evidence is key for the state, as it directly links the accused to the planning and shooting. He spoke of gathering firearms and coordinating the attack, giving details that match crime scene findings like bullet casings and victim positions. For families of the dead, hearing this brings some closure but also fresh pain, knowing the killings stemmed from old grudges that could have been stopped.
Contradictions Under the Spotlight
The defence wasted no time in picking apart Abi’s story. Ndende’s lawyer, Advocate Mawande Nokhwali, led the cross-examination, zeroing in on what he called flip-flops in Abi’s statements. In one police statement, Abi said the firearms used in the killings were stashed in a bag. But in his confession, he changed it to say they were leaning against a wall. “You contradicted yourself,” Nokhwali pressed, arguing this showed Abi was not reliable.
Another mix-up came over a phone call after the shooting. Abi first told police he called his wife, but later said she called him. Nokhwali hammered this point, suggesting Abi was making things up or hiding facts to save himself. These small differences might seem minor, but in court, they can cast doubt on the whole testimony, making jurors or judges question if the big details are true too.
Nokhwali’s strategy is to show Abi as someone who bends the truth for his own gain. As a state witness, Abi hopes for a lighter sentence or even freedom, so the defence paints him as motivated to lie. This tactic is common in trials with turncoat witnesses – poke holes in their words to weaken the state’s case. For Ndende, a young man facing life in prison, these moments could mean the difference between guilt and freedom.
The Broader Impact on the Community
This trial goes beyond the courtroom; it touches raw nerves in Lusikisiki and nearby areas. The massacre left families broken, with children orphaned and homes empty. Communities rally for justice, but also worry about ongoing feuds that could spark more violence. Leaders call for peace talks between clans to heal old wounds and prevent revenge cycles.
On a bigger scale, the case highlights problems in rural Eastern Cape, like weak policing that lets feuds fester and illegal guns flow freely. Many hope the trial brings not just punishment but real change, like better community programmes and stronger law enforcement to keep people safe.
As the cross-examination continues, more details will come out, testing Abi’s story further. The other accused will have their lawyers grill him too, looking for weak spots. Families of the victims sit through it all, seeking truth amid the pain. For now, the contradictions raised by Ndende’s lawyer add twists to a case already full of heartbreak, reminding everyone how fragile trust can be in the search for justice.
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