Nomia Ndlovu: Body Language Experts Breakdown the Former Tembisa Cop Behaviour in Court
- Nomia Rosemary Ndlovu's behaviour court proceedings garnered many reactions on social media with some people believing she displays odd behaviour
- Ndlovu has been making court appearances to face the allegations that she had family members and her boyfriend killed for money
- Two body language experts have analysed Ndlovu's behaviour and have shared their thoughts on whether or not they think she is remorseful
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JOHANNESBURG - In the past few weeks, Nomia Rosemary Ndlovu captured South Africans since the moment she took the stand in her murder and attempted murder trial.
Ndlovu, who is a former Tembisa police officer is being accused of orchestrating the murders of her relatives and her boyfriend to cash in on insurance policies she took out on them. She was finally apprehended following a police sting operation in which she was trying to hire hitmen to kill her sister Joyce Ndlovu and her five kids.
Source: Facebook
Since her court appearance on 14 September, Ndlovu's behaviour has been the topic of discussion all over social media. Reporters observed that Ndlovu would normally be in a jovial mood before she took the stand and would even go as far as posing for the cameras.
However, when she took the stand to answer questions from either the state or her lawyer, Ndlovu seemed emotionless and cold. Much to South Africa's surprise, Ndlovu showed the first sign of emotion when she was questioned about the death of her lover Maurice Mabasa who was found dead with 80 stab wounds.
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She seemed inconsolable and on one occasion she told the court that the topic of Mabasa would always bring her to tears. Briefly News contacted two body language experts who weighed in on Ndlovu's behaviour to help us better understand the alleged killer cop.
While to the normal person it may seem like Ndlovu was not exhibiting any kind of emotion, Tania Steyn, a Body Language expert and Human Behaviour analyst from the Art of People says Ndlovu actually displayed quite a few emotions with her microexpressions.
"Microexpressions are very brief involuntary facial expressions that everyone makes, it's universal," explains Steyn.
Steyn explains that Ndlovu's microexpressions were quite telling and gave cues on whether or not someone was telling the truth. In regard to Ndlovu crying about her lover, Steyn explains that Ndlovu showed genuine sadness for a brief moment, however, it was soon replaced with fake sadness.
Kane Pretorious, a senior Body Language Specialist at the School of Etiquette shares the same opinion as Steyn. Pretorius explains that there was a brief moment of genuine sadness when Ndlovu was crying about her lover but analysis of Ndlovu was not easy because she was looking down when she was crying.
Pretorious added that there were times she displayed controlled sadness. He also states that she could have also been displaying anger. To Pretorius, there are times Ndlovu displayed emotions of disgust, contempt and her emotions appeared stunted.
When Briefly News asked the experts if Ndlovu displayed any signs of remorse, both Steyn and Pretorious are of the opinion that Ndlovu is not remorseful on the basis of her body language and behaviour.
"I don't think she shows any remorse, just by reading her behaviour and body language. She thinks she is smarter than everyone there and she is a compulsive liar," explains Steyn.
Steyn is also of the opinion that Ndlovu is a master manipulator who loves attention. She says Ndlovu has manipulated photographers in court to keep the attention on herself by playing to the cameras.
Steyn adds that manipulators will do anything for attention even if it paints them negatively because all attention is good attention for them.
Experts identify red flags in Ndlovu's body language
Steyn and Pretorious recognised that they were a few involuntary body actions Ndlovu would make while answering questions or when listening to the evidence against her.
Pretorious noticed that she often purses her lips which is an indication that she is either lying or withholding emotions. Steyn says lip pursing could mean that Ndlovu was holding something back or trying to keep the truth in.
Steyn also noticed that Ndlovu exhibits eye blocking behaviour when she is answering questions. She explains that eye blocking happens when someone is trying to create a barrier between themselves and the lie they are telling.
Ndlovu also displays self-soothing behaviour either by rocking her body or by the way she moves her mouth. Steyn explains that self-soothing gestures are an indication that Ndlovu is withholding something.
"Nomia does the most amazing things with her mouth, she pulls it in all directions, it's fascinating to watch," says Steyn.
Nomia Ndlovu continues to deny everything, asks the court where’s the proof she did anything wrong
Briefly News previously reported that former Tembisa police officer Nomia Rosemary Ndlovu's murder and attempted murder trial has been postponed until 14 October as the state concluded its cross-examination of Ndlovu on Monday, 27 September.
Ndlovu returned to court after it had been adjourned for a week because she supposedly felt ill. Upon her return, the prosecution took the opportunity to question Ndlovu on the murder of her live-in boyfriend Maurice Mabasa and her nephew Brilliant Mashego.
In the true fashion of what we have seen from Ndlovu these past few weeks, she stuck to her story and continued to deny having any involvement in the murders of her family members and her lover.
Source: Briefly News
