A man is facing trial for allegedly killing his grandmother and using her severed head as a football, a court in Durban, South Africa, has heard. Thabo Nzimande, aged 32, is accused of stabbing Beatrice de Lange multiple times before decapitating her.
Following the gruesome act, Nzimande was reported to have kicked his grandmother’s head around like a football. He was apprehended the day after the 80-year-old woman was discovered murdered in her residence, wearing bloodstained attire. The legal proceedings encountered delays when the attorney appointed by Legal Aid for the defendant terminated their representation.
During the trial, it was revealed that the prosecution did not accept the defense’s plea offer. Ziningi Myaka, the daughter of the deceased, recounted the circumstances that led to her mother’s tragic demise. She disclosed that her mother had been supporting Nzimande financially and emotionally, but tensions arose after a disputed drug test.
Myaka described Nzimande as resistant to discipline and recounted a confrontation at a rehabilitation center where he insulted her. She expressed regret for not recognizing her mother’s distress signals earlier, hoping to provide Nzimande with opportunities for a better future.
The defendant previously expressed a desire to plead guilty to the murder, but the trial was adjourned to allow for further consultation between Nzimande and his legal representative. However, the attorney later withdrew from the case due to conflicting instructions from the defendant. The trial is ongoing.