Ntuthuko Shoba to remain in custody as sentencing proceedings are postponed

The sentencing proceedings of Ntuthuko Shoba, the man who was found guilty of orchestrating the murder of Tshegofatso Pule, has been postponed to 28 July and he will remain in custody.

Shoba was arrested after the hitman he hired told the police who instructed him to kill Pule. Tshegofatso Pule was eight months pregnant when she was found dead hanging from a tree with a single gunshot wound in Durban Deep, Roodepoort, west of Johannesburg.

Ntuthuko Shoba named the mastermind

Muzikayise Malephane confessed to killing Tshegofatso and named her boyfriend Ntuthuko Shoba as the mastermind behind the killing. Shoba feared that the pregnancy would eventually be known by his fiancée and got asked Malephane to kill Pule. The police managed to arrest the killer ad he was sentenced to 20 years behind bars.

In the judgement issued in March, acting Judge Stewart Wilson said the matter before court was whether Malephane killed Pule on the instruction of Shoba with expectation of being paid for it. Wilson said there had been Shoba and the man believed to have killed Tshegofatso Pule.

“Second, the was Mr Malephane’s unchallenged assertion that he had no prior relationship with Ms Pule and that he in fact did not know her and had no motive for or means on making contact with her other than with Mr Shoba’s assistance and at Mr Shoba’s behest,” Wilson said in his judgement.

Judge Wilson found Shoba guilty of the murder of Tshegofatso Pule and sentencing proceedings were postponed to 28 July.

Source: Times Live, ENCA, image from Times Live

Doctor Mahlaule

Doctor Mahlaule previously worked as a Freelance Journalist at Find-it SA where he was responsible for writing news articles and sharing them on social media platforms. Doctor Mahlaule holds a Diploma in Journalism, BA in Communication Science and a BA Honours in Media Studies. Doctor began his journey as a knowledge Management and Communications Intern at Zenex Foundation. He was responsible for support in event management, social media, website maintenance, writing and brand management. On weekends Doctor attends prison ministry and shares the scriptures with inmates at Krugersdorp prison and plays soccer in the afternoon on some weekends. He has a passion for reading and writing and enjoys going out with friends and socialising in his spare time. He has a one-year-old son and is planning on getting married soon. When asked about what keeps him going, he said: “My family keeps me going. I’m the man I am because I come from a loving home. I have a very supportive family who always encourages me to keep pushing hard.”

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