Johannesburg – The mother of the former police officer accused of killing her
relatives to claim burial payouts amounting to R1.4-million believes her daughter
is not capable of murder.
The 81-year-old Maria Nyavana Mushwana spoke to Sunday World at her home in New Forest Village in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, this week.
Her daughter, 46-year-old Nomia Rosemary Ndlovu is on trial for murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, fraud and defeating the ends of justice at the Joburg Hight Court, which is sitting in Palm Ridge on the East Rand.
“My heart is broken. My soul is afflicted beyond words can ever explain.
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“I raised Rose so well, and I know she is being framed for all those despicable things they accuse her of doing.”
The pensioner, who is raising two young grandchildren alone, said the news of her daughter’s 2018 arrest and her current trial had been a source of sleepless nights.
“I have cried and prayed. I am unable to enjoy my sleep knowing my daughter
is behind bars. It pains me a lot because I know Rose is innocent,” she said.
Mushwana recently testified in defence of her daughter at the trial.
She said her testimony was based on the truth she knew about her daughter.
“We are a God-fearing family. When their father and I got married, I left the Roman Catholic Church and joined him at Swiss Mission.
That’s how we raised our children. We have been Christians all our lives and we rely on the word of God,” she said.
Mushwana, who also does piece jobs tilling land on small farms around the
village in order to supplement her old-age pension grant said her daughter grew up as an exemplary young woman.
“She never fought or argued with anyone. She was the first child in this family
to get a job, and she supported us financially,” said Mushwana.
She said her daughter visited her often, and did not show any signs of being a wealthy woman.
“She would call me every time she planned to visit and I would meet her
at the bus station in Bushbuckridge. We would then take a taxi back to this village.
“She would bring me groceries and a bucketful of cookies baked in Gauteng.
She’d be here all the time until she had to return to work. I would give her our
local produce so she could share with her friends .”
Mushwana added that she had thought the worst was over after Rosemary’s two
children died due to illness some time back.
“I never imagined going through this. Not after my two grandchildren died and left us in so much pain.
The first born was a three-year-old boy who fell sick and died. The second one was a baby girl who was younger than that.
“I fetched her from Gauteng when she fell sick. I nursed her for a month, but she
eventually passed on.”
Mushwana said in due time, “her God will reveal the people behind her daughter’s persecution”.
She would not be drawn into naming those behind her daughter’s downfall.
She also did not want to discuss her other daughter, Joyce Ndlovu, who was an alleged target of murder along with her five children, who are Rosemary’s nieces and nephews.
They never found any blood on her, yet they want to pin everything on her.
Isn’t it that when you accuse someone of murder you must show us the evidence?”
The case has been postponed to October 10 for arguments.
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