Former SAPS Intelligence Officer Receives Life Sentence For Murdering Ex-Girlfriend In The Presence Of Her Three-Month-Old Baby
Thandolwethu Faku, a former intelligence officer, has been handed a life sentence by the Western Cape High Court for the brutal murder of his ex-girlfriend, Wendy Papu. Initially, Faku claimed that he was a victim of an armed robbery orchestrated by unknown assailants who subsequently killed Papu. However, the State successfully disproved his account, revealing Faku as the actual perpetrator of the heinous crime.
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The investigation, initiated when an inquest docket was opened following Papu’s murder, was meticulously conducted by Lieutenant Colonel Pretorius and the Director of the Public Prosecution Office, ultimately leading to Faku’s arrest.
On the fateful evening of January 9, 2018, Faku visited Papu’s dwelling in Khayelitsha. An altercation ensued, during which Faku, armed with his official firearm, fatally shot Papu in the head. This horrifying act unfolded while Papu’s eight-year-old daughter from a previous relationship and the couple’s three-month-old daughter were asleep.
With callous disregard, Faku locked the shack, leaving the wounded Papu and her sleeping children in separate rooms. Despite the severity of her injuries, Papu did not immediately succumb to the gunshot, and in her compromised state, she could not attend to her crying baby.
In an attempt to cover up his crime, Faku abandoned his vehicle, firearm, and phone near Strandfontein Beach. He then falsely reported to Mfuleni police station, claiming to have been hijacked and robbed at Papu’s residence.
During the trial, Faku concocted a false narrative, asserting that he visited Papu’s home to deliver money and was subsequently robbed by two males. The court, however, dismissed this fabricated account, presenting compelling evidence, including testimony from police officers, that contradicted Faku’s version of events.
Judge Nziweni, in delivering the life sentence, characterized Faku’s actions as evil, exposing a ruthless killer concealed behind a falsely admirable exterior. She underscored the prevalence of gender-based violence in the case and expressed lament that a police officer had been convicted of such a heinous crime.