A 29-year-old man from the Kranskop policing precinct in KwaZulu-Natal has been handed a life sentence after being found guilty of killing his 72-year-old grandmother and then setting her remains alight in a bid to destroy the evidence. The conviction follows what authorities described as painstaking detective work that ensured justice was served.
Confession after swift investigation
The case began on 2 January 2025, when a missing person's report was filed after the elderly woman had not been seen for two days. She had last been at her home in Nseleni, which falls under the Kranskop policing area. Detectives, spearheaded by Detective Sergeant Thobelani Khoza, wasted no time in launching a thorough probe into her disappearance.
Investigators followed leads to the residence of the individual who had reported the woman missing. The evidence gathered there pointed directly to the victim's grandson, Ayanda Fulela, as the prime suspect in the case. When confronted with the findings, Fulela admitted to what he had done.
"Upon further questioning, Fulela confessed to having stabbed his grandmother following a heated argument. In an attempt to conceal the crime, he then set her body on fire."
The brutal killing had taken place in December 2024, but it was only after the missing person's case was opened that the full horror of what had transpired came to light. The meticulous collection and presentation of evidence by the investigating team proved critical in securing the conviction.
Life behind bars plus additional decade
On 4 March 2025, the Greytown Regional Court handed down its verdict, finding Fulela guilty on two charges — murder and the violation of a corpse. For the murder conviction, the court imposed a sentence of life imprisonment. An additional ten years of direct imprisonment was added for the desecration of his grandmother's remains.
The presiding officer also declared Fulela unfit to possess a firearm, a standard measure in cases involving serious violent offences. The combined sentence ensures that Fulela will spend the bulk of his life behind bars for the shocking crime committed against his own family member.
The successful prosecution has been hailed as a testament to the dedication of detectives in the Kranskop area, whose relentless pursuit of the truth brought a measure of closure to a grieving family. The case serves as a stark reminder of the scourge of violence against the elderly in communities across KwaZulu-Natal.
