Byline: Andani Matumba
16 March 2022
A 35-year-old man who murdered the mother of his son at Marite near Bushbuckridge in 2020 was convicted and sentenced by the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court which was sitting at Graskop on Tuesday 15 March 2022.
According to Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, this follows after the accused robbed the victim of her personal belongings and bluntly killed her, then concealed her body in the bushes on 03 September 2020 around 20h00.
“The accused then went into hiding and never informed anyone of his deeds meanwhile the family of the woman (aged 32-years-old by the time she was murdered) was worried that she never returned home.
The family filed a missing person report at Calcutta Police Station on 04 September 2020, the police launched a probe to find her and her lifeless body was discovered in the bushes by a passerby on 05 September 2020,” said Mohlala.
According police report, the police discovered that the woman had deep stab wounds on her throat.
“A murder case was then opened and manhunt for the suspect was also launched.
The investigation team found him at his hiding place in Eighteenburg near Thulamahashe in Bushbuckridge on 07 September 2020”.
Brigadier further specified that the accused was found in possession of some items belonging to the deceased, which included her Identity Document, cell phone, retail cards as well as her work permit (as it was during Lockdown Level 5).
“The accused was then arrested and charged for murder, robbery and defeating the ends of justice, was trilled and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for one count of murder, 15 years imprisonment for one count of robber, 5 years for defeating the ends of justice and he was also found to be unfit to possess a fire arm.
The court further ordered that the count of robbery run concurrently with the count of defeating the ends of justice,” said Mohlala in his closing statement.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS, Mpumalanga, General Daphney Manamela welcomes the sentence welcomes the sentence passed by the High Court.
Manamela further condemned Gender Based Violence and said, “Perpetrators of GBV should know that there is no room of evil deeds in the society”.
The General further stated that she hopes that his senses will serve as a warning for those who may imitate this action.