Bail for man who allegedly raped and killed child put on hold

The man accused for the Senamile ‘Aphula’ Sphengane who was found in a bush near Wiggins Sports Ground on January 2 will appear for formal bail next month.

The man accused for the Senamile ‘Aphula’ Sphengane who was found in a bush near Wiggins Sports Ground on January 2 will appear for formal bail next month.

Published Jan 17, 2023

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Durban — Rape and murder accused Senzo Dlamini, 52, of Cato Manor, is due back in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on February 1.

Dlamini was arrested after Senamile “Aphula” Sphengane, 5, was found in a bush near Wiggins Sports Ground on January 2. Dlamini’s bail application was postponed on Monday.

According to the police report Senamile’s body was found with strangulation marks.

The charge sheet reads that “the accused committed “an act of sexual penetration” of the girl without her consent”.

Dlamini is represented in court by a Legal Aid lawyer.

He was expected to appear in court last Monday in connection to the murder and rape.

Dlamini was arrested and charged with murder and rape on January 6, 2023, by Cato Manor detectives.

The family were left heartbroken when Senamile was found in a bush near Wiggins Sports Ground.

Police spokesperson Colonel Nqobile Gwala said they had noticed strangulation marks on the little girl’s bloodied body. A post-mortem will reveal the cause of death.

After reporting the case to the Cato Manor police station, the family of the little girl complained that the police were not responding to the matter with any urgency.

Sbusisiwe Mnduna, the dead girl’s aunt, said the suspect would not have had enough time to dump the body if the police had acted more swiftly. Mnduna also said she believed the suspect responsible for the girl’s death was a local resident.

“Senamile was on the sofa with a relative and she was playing games on a cellphone. One of the relatives said she went away with another girl her age.

“The relative who was in the house with her said she did not know who the child was, so it was hard to try to trace them,” said Mnduna.

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