A 48-year-old former school principal and his accomplice have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the cold‑blooded murder of a Durban Metro policy officer.

Former school principal Sithembiso Khumalo and accomplice Khulani Cele appeared in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) local division of the high court sitting in Durban on Wednesday.

The duo were accused of the murder of Captain Zwelakhe Ntombela, a police officer gunned down outside his Umlazi home in 2023.

Sentence

Cele was already serving life imprisonment at New Prison Correctional Services in Pietermaritzburg.

Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo said Khumalo was further sentenced to 8 years’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of a firearm, another 8 years’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of a firearm, 18 months’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of ammunition, and 8 years’ imprisonment for defeating the ends of justice.

“His sentence will run concurrently, and both accused were declared unfit to possess a firearm.”

“The two were found guilty on 11 May 2026, hence they were sentenced yesterday. They are going to join 43-year-old Nongcebo Ntombela, who was also sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of her husband,” said Mhlongo.

Murder

Ntombela was shot and killed whilst he was arriving at his home in Umlazi on 3 May 2023. He was then robbed of his private and service pistols.

A case of murder was reported at Umlazi police station, and the case docket was allocated to Hawks members from Durban Serious Organised Crime Investigation for intensive investigation.

In July, 27-year-old Mzo Ntombela was arrested by the Hawks members working together with the National Intervention Unit at the Umsinga area, where he was hiding.

Arrest

Mhlongo said Captain Ntombela’s firearms were recovered at KwaMaphumulo.

“Mzo was sentenced to 20 years’ direct imprisonment on 21 August 2023. After his sentence, Nongcebo Ntombela, who is the wife of the murdered police officer, was arrested and charged for her husband’s murder.”

Investigations are continuing