Themba Stsompana Mahlangu, 45, was sentenced to life in prison by the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Mbombela, South Africa, for the premeditated murder of his girlfriend, Tumelo Maria Mamogale.
In a statement issued on Monday, October 16, 2023, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Regional spokesman, DPP Mpumalanga, Monica Nyuswa, stated that Mahlangu and the dead were living together in Mashishing in the district of Thaba Chweu.
The deceased neighbors heard her crying and went to check in the early morning of October 4, 2022. They discovered the accused beating the deceased, punching her with his fists and slamming her against a neighbor’s gate.
When the neighbors tried to interfere, the accused feigned to listen and then backed off. When the neighbors returned home, the accused continued the assault, stabbing the deceased with a broken bottle.
He abandoned the scene after discovering the deceased was no longer responding, leaving the deceased fighting for her life. She later died as a result of her injuries.
The accused was apprehended the same day and pleaded not guilty. He said that they were attacked by a group of four unknown individuals on the day of the incident.
State Advocate Antoinette Nkosi led the testimony of three witnesses to the crime. An investigating officer also testified based on what he saw at the crime scene. A postmortem examination indicated that the deceased died as a result of a sharp force injury to the neck.
In order to increase the sentence, Advocate Antoinette Nkosi submitted a victim impact statement prepared by the deceased’s mother with the assistance of Court Preparation Officer Zodwa Lekhuleni. She stated that she is unable to accept her daughter’s death because she had lost weight and now has to be the grandma and mother of the deceased’s little children, who constantly question why their mother died.
Acting Judge Sheila Msibi stated before sentencing the accused that the country is plagued by high levels of violent crime, notably gender-based violence in home relationships.
The court found no compelling reason to vary from the stipulated minimum penalty and sentenced the accused to life in prison. The offender was also found unfit to possess a firearm by the court.
