The North West High Court on Friday sentenced a 47-year-old man to 35 years behind bars for the murder of his girlfriend and stealing her cellphone and purse in 2017.
The matter relates to an incident that happened in Mabopane in October 2017, when Lesley Tsholofelo Mabalane went to his girlfriend’s house Tlhomelang Selina Mmule and demanded to speak to her.
Mmule was a nurse and had just returned home from night shift and was preparing to go shopping with her daughter. “Mmule then informed her daughter to leave and promised to join her at the shops at a later stage, to which she obliged. Later, during the day when she realised that her mother was not joining her, she called her to no avail,” Henry Mamothame, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson said.
The daughter went back home and upon arrival found her younger brother and neighbour standing outside the house because they could not gain access as the house was locked. Mamothame said a neighbour testified that she called Mmule’s cellphone and Mabalane answered the call before he quickly hung up.
The daughter and the neighbours broke into the house and found Mmule lying dead with stab wounds. Her purse and her cellphone were missing.
Police investigations led them to Mabalane’s home, where he stayed with his parents. Mmule’s cellphone and purse were found under a pillow in his bedroom concealed.
The prosecutor, Adv Takalani Muneri, argued for a minimum prescribed sentence for the man who was described as a jealous and abusive partner to the deceased.
However, Judge Francis Snyman found it appropriate to sentence Mabalane to 25 years for murder and an additional 10 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances. The 35 years will run concurrently said the judge.
