A 28-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his ex-girlfriend in the Polokwane High Court in Limpopo.
Thabiso Fortunate Moloi from Dennilton murdered Hlengiwe Lisbeth Mahlangu on November 22, 2020.
The court heard that on the day of the murder, the deceased was walking home with her current boyfriend when Moloi appeared with a golf stick.
In an attempt to calm down her ex-boyfriend, Mahlangu requested her boyfriend leave them so she and Moloi could speak.
Mahlangu’s body was found the following day at the spot where her boyfriend had left her in Moloi’s company.
Moloi was subsequently arrested upon the discovery of his ex-girlfriend’s body.
The court heard the cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to external neck compression due to strangulation.
State Advocate Elelwani Mufamadi submitted during aggravation of sentencing that the murder was committed in premeditation and is prevalent within the jurisdiction of the court.
Mufamadi argued that violence between women and men is increasing and urged the court to put an end to it by putting the perpetrators of these crimes in jail.
Mufamadi further submitted that there were no substantial or compelling circumstances for the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence.
Moloi was sentenced to life imprisonment.
The Limpopo spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, welcomed the sentence.
"The NPA is against the violence of women and children, and we hope that the perpetrators of this crime will learn from the sentence imposed. We further commend the good work done by Advocate Mufamadi and investigating officer Sergeant Martin Kgabo Mohlola from Dennilton police station," Malabi-Dzhangi said.
IOL