Siyabonga Mbotyi’s trial for the gruesome murder of his girlfriend Nandipha Mthimkhulu nearly five years ago concluded earlier this week in the Western Cape High Court, with the perpetrator convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
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The 34-year-old, who had a child with Mthimkhulu, was charged with the murder and mutilation of the 23-year-old’s body in 2019.
During the night, neighbours reported hearing screams coming from Mthimkhulu’s shack. Early the next morning, they discovered the deceased’s mutilated body in her shack. Her three-month-old son was found wrapped in a blanket, lying next to the body and crying uncontrollably.
The police were notified and later discovered the deceased’s body parts on the shack’s roof.
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Mbotyi was arrested two days later (October 26), and his first appearance in the Strand Magistrates’ Court was on October 28. He did not apply for bail.
The murder trial began in the High Court on Monday, March 4, with key witnesses, including the accused’s sister and neighbours, taking the stand.
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Two dedicated Lwandle police detectives, Warrant Officer Marius Erasmus and Sergeant Wynand Carelse, among other officers involved in the case, were also called to testify in light of the inadmissibility of the accused’s confession based on undisputed claims that he was assaulted by police during his arrest.
Following the testimonies, the confession was admitted as evidence, and cross-examination took place in preparation for the expected verdict. On Wednesday, March 6, the accused was found guilty of premeditated murder rather than the original charge of murder and mutilation of the corpse, and the case was postponed for sentencing until this past Monday (March 25).
Mbotyi was sentenced to life in prison, 25 years for premeditated murder, and five years for mutilating a corpse. The sentence will run concurrently.
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Picture: Supplied/ SAPS