Nurse decides to keep kidnap car

Published on Saturday 25 April 2009 10:10

NURSE Magdeline Makola is still driving the car in which she spent ten terrifying days locked in the boot. The Y-reg Vauxhall Astra is still parked outside her Livingston home after being returned by police investigators following her abduction ordeal.

The 38-year-old South African told yesterday how she did not think she would survive as she was locked in the boot with no food or water in the depths of winter.

But she said she forgave her abductor, fellow South African Justice Ngema, after he pleaded guilty to abduction at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Ms Makola is being cared for at home by her mother, who flew from South Africa to be with her, and says she intends to return to work at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

But friends fear it will be a long time before she makes a full recovery and one reportedly said Ms Makola was too scared to open the car's boot because it holds too many painful memories.

Babs Gqabu, a fellow nurse, said they were encouraging Ms Makola to make a fresh start:

"She is still driving her car. But it must be very hard for her. She is only human. It must be hard living in the same house, and sleeping in the same bedroom. When she is alone, everything will come back to her.

"She is such a kind person. It is just like her to say that she forgives him. She misses her work, but I think it will be a long time before she goes back."

Another close friend, Hannah Letsholo, was in court with Magdeline. She said: "She's still not well. I think she's still having problems – her toes are painful from when she was in the car, from the cold temperatures."

The court heard that Ngema, 35, threatened Ms Makola with a knife after she invited him into her house. He then punched her, tied her up and forced her into the boot.

In a statement read out after the hearing, Ms Makola thanked her family, friends, police and staff at Monklands Hospital, where she was treated after being rescued.

She said: "When I was taken I did not think that I was going to survive. While I was in the boot of the car it was difficult to work out how long I had been there, but one of my strongest memories is realising it was Christmas Day, because it was so quiet outside.

"I have a strong faith in God, and I spent a lot of time praying that someone would find me. When the policeman opened the boot I was so happy that my prayers had been answered.

"I am pleased Justice Ngema pled guilty today, and I want people to know that I feel no anger towards him, only pity. I wish him well in the future, and I will pray for him. I now want to return to nursing and get my life back to normal."

Ms Makola disappeared after leaving work at the ERI on December 15. She was reported missing after she failed to turn up for her shift on December 18. Concerns for her safety were first reported in the Evening News.

An investigation was launched and she was discovered by police in the red Vauxhall Astra parked in Airdrie, where her abductor lived.

The court heard Ngema entered the country using his brother's passport. Ngema sat with his head bowed in the dock as the court heard how he attended a Christmas Mass with his then girlfriend's family as Ms Makola suffered.

He pleaded guilty to 14 charges, including abduction and robbery.

He was remanded back into custody to be sentenced in July.

Detective Inspector Alan Sommerville, who led the investigation, said: "Justice Ngema is a manipulative individual motivated by his own greed, and it is typical of his character that he has shown no remorse."

Court hears horrific details of ten-day ordeal in car boot

THE full horror of Ms Makola's ten-day ordeal was heard at the High Court.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice said Justice Ngema made numerous appearances at his victim's flat before finally abducting her.

The court heard that Ngema invited himself in and asked for a drink. When Ms Makola turned around shortly afterwards, Ngema grabbed her with both hands around her neck and said: "I'm a professional in this job, I kill people, you shut up right now."

He threatened her with a knife and forced her to lie down in her hallway. He then punched her in the head, bound her and used force to obtain her bank pin codes.

The court heard Ngema used his victim's bank card to go on a shopping spree, including trips with his girlfriend, buying goods in "designer shops" in the run-up to Christmas.

He bought champagne and visited bars in Glasgow.

Meanwhile, Ms Makola was bound and gagged in the boot in temperatures from 6C to sub-zero. She never saw where she was but guessed she was taken to an airport, railway station and along the M8 motorway. When police found her on December 26 she was in severe pain.

Mr Prentice said: "She was screaming from the pain. She was trying to drink from a straw but the water was too cold. She would not have survived a further two days."

The court was told that Ms Makola has made a good recovery but when she was discovered was severely dehydrated and her fingers and toes had begun to turn white. Medics were unable to insert a needle into her arm or take blood pressure when she was found. She also had renal failure because of muscle damage and dehydration.

THE ROAD TO JUSTICE

TIMETABLE of events surrounding the abduction of Magdeline Makola:

&#149 December 15, 2008: Ms Makola leaves her work at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

&#149 December 18: Concerns are raised when the nurse fails to turn up for her shift and she is reported missing.

&#149 December 26: Two police officers, hearing cries for help, find Ms Makola dehydrated and suffering from hypothermia in the boot of her Vauxhall Astra in Airdrie. She is taken to hospital.

&#149 December 27: Lothian and Borders Police reveal that a "severely traumatised" Ms Makola knew her abductor. She could have been in the car boot for up to ten days, officers said.

&#149 December 28: Police reveal a man has been arrested and charged.

&#149 December 29: Justice Ngema appears in private at Linlithgow Sheriff Court.

&#149 January 8: Ms Makola is discharged from hospital.

&#149 March 25: It is reported that Ms Makola has flown to South Africa to recover with her family.

&#149 April 24: Justice Ngema admits the abduction at the High Court in Edinburgh.