•Boy 14, uses dad’s loaded gun to kill 6 -year -old sister
A father whose six-year-old daughter died in a shooting accident by her brother has been charged with negligence of firearm.
On his first court appearance in September, Sibangalizwe Ncube had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
However, the visibly distraught father changed his plea to guilty this week.
Tragedy befell Ncube in Tonota village when his 14- year-old son took the unsecured loaded gun and accidentally shot and killed his sister, Caroline Benkele aged 6 at Mogobe WA basadi cattle post on the 15th of September.
The accident happened after the father had allegedly borrowed the firearm from one of the neighbouring farms to scare away predators (animals).
He then went out leaving the loaded gun unsecured and the siblings played with it until one accidentally shot and killed the other.
The police were called to the scene and took the child to the clinic where she was certified dead and the 41-year old father was arrested for negligence.
The death of Ncube’s daughter opened a can of worms for the family as he was also charged with ill treatment of children after it had emerged that he neglected his other two children, Melusi Ncube and Alex Ncube by staying with them at the cattle post denying them the right to education.
State Prosecutor Kenneth Edward told court that although the accused has pleaded guilty, “The gun has been taken to the forensic laboratory analysis and we are still waiting for the results.”
Magistrate Thapelo Buang remanded Ncube in custody until he returns to court on November 2nd.
