Cape Town – A man is due to appear in court today over the murder of East London businesswoman Nokwanda Maguga-Patocka.
The 44-year-old Maguga-Patocka died of head injuries on Monday after she was allegedly strangled, punched and bludgeoned with an object by a man alleged to be her boyfriend in Ginsberg, Qonce, previously known as King William's Town, on Monday evening. Her body was found by police in bushes.
According to Eastern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Priscila Naidu, a 49-year-old man will appear in the Zwelitsha Regional Court on Wednesday in connection with the murder.
Her German-born engineer husband, Michael Patocka, from whom she had separated after 20 years, the Daily Dispatch reported, is flying in from Russia and is expected to arrive in South Africa today
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Priscila Naidu said a 49-year-old man will appear in the Zwelitsha Regional Court on Wednesday in connection with the murder.
According to family spokesperson Luyanda Mema, a nine-year-old child allegedly witnessed the accused assaulting Magagu-Patocka and was able to raise the alarm, News24 reported.
Residents allegedly saw the man chasing Maguga-Patocka down the road before catching and dragging her into his car, Mema said.
’’Witnesses said they saw him slinging her over his shoulder to nearby bushes and apparently that is where he killed her,’’ Mema said.
Maguga-Patocka was involved in catering and events management, with her clients including the Eastern Cape government.
Last month, Nikita Maloni, 28, from Kwatshatshu village outside Qonce, was murdered while walking home from work.
She had obtained a protection order against the accused, an abusive ex-boyfriend, who was being sought for violating the court order.
Athenkosi Nzima was denied bail by the Zwelitsha Magistrate's Court after his court appearance last month. The case was postponed to November 2 for further investigation.
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