Policewoman Arrested for Orchestrating Murder of Husband and His 'Female Friend'

Police Sergeant Nyiko Nyathi, 42, appears in court

Nyiko Nyathi, a 42-year-old police sergeant stationed at Bushbuckridge SAPS, was arrested after voluntarily surrendering at Bushbuckridge Police Station on Monday, March 10, 2025. She appeared before the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court on the same day in connection with the murder of her husband, Lawrence Alba Mashego, and his female friend, Victoria Lebyane.

The case dates back to February 2024 when Mashego, 44, was attacked by a group of armed men at his residence in Boikutsong Trust, Bushbuckridge. The assailants robbed him of his Toyota Quantum and Ford Escort before kidnapping him. The stolen vehicles were allegedly used to reach a house in Zoeknog, where the suspects found 44-year-old Victoria Lebyane in possession of Mashego’s bank cards. The attackers then robbed Mashego of approximately R4,000 in cash before fatally shooting Lebyane.

Sergeant Nyiko Jacobeth Nyathi was again remanded in custody pending her next court appearance on Monday, March 17, for bail application.

A police investigation led to the arrest of four suspects in connection with the crime. One of the suspects pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 77 years in prison. Further inquiries revealed Nyathi’s alleged involvement in the murders, resulting in her arrest.

During her court appearance, the case was postponed to Wednesday, March 12, 2025, for a formal bail application.

Acting Provincial Commissioner of SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr.) Zeph Mkhwanazi, welcomed the arrest, reaffirming the department’s commitment to upholding the law without bias. "The SAPS remains resolute in its intolerance toward any criminality within our ranks," he stated.

42-year-old Nyiko Nyathi.