A 31-year-old man has been sentenced to life plus 53 years jail time after he was found guilty by the Middelburg High Court of killing his girlfriend and two others.
Triple murder accused and arsonist, Steven Mahlangu from Siyabuswa has been sentenced to life plus 53 years direct imprisonment. Mahlangu was on Tuesday found guilty on charges of housebreaking with intent to commit a crime, three counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and arson. Mahlangu was in a romantic relationship with the deceased, Hope Makola, who was residing in Siyabuswa with the other occupants in the same house, where the incident happened.
According to the police report, on December 222, 2020, the accused was having fun drinking alcohol with his girlfriend, Hope Makola, who in the middle of their rendezvous was approached by a man who proposed love to her.
The accused got upset and they subsequently parted ways. However, Mahlangu returned armed with a knife. He is reported to have followed the victim to her home. Upon his arrival, he broke into the house, and stabbed to death three people, namely his girlfriend Hope Makola, and her uncle, Joseph Maputu, including an eight-year-old minor victim, while an 11-year-old survived the stabbing incident with serious injuries. According to the police, Mahlangu proceeded to set the house on fire and fled the scene.
NPA regional police spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa said Mahlangu pleaded guilty to a lesser sentence and the state rejected his plea.
"State advocate Frieda Tshwane led evidence of the accused’s friend, which proved that Mahlangu stole his knife to kill the deceased. Post -mortem reports also uncovered that the three victims died due to penetrating incised wounds through their chests, while a photo album of the crime scene was also presented. Victim Impact Statements compiled by Court Preparation Officer, Given Mampye were presented. It revealed that the victims’ families suffered emotional and psychological trauma, because of the incident," she said.
Nyuswa added that in presenting a case for a stronger sentence, advocate Tshwane told the court that this case was a perfect example of violent crimes perpetrated against women and children, adding that the accused did not respect the life and bodily integrity of other human beings. This is because the victims of Mahlangu’s violent crime died the most gruesome of deaths.
“Judge Thando Mankge remarked that Mahlangu did not want the deceased to survive this attack, the viciousness of the attack and the assault is an extremely aggravating factor. The knife the accused used left oval shapes on the body of the deceased person. She sentenced Mahlangu to life imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend, 20 years for the murder of the minor, 15 years for another count of murder, five years for housebreaking, eight years for attempted murder, and five years imprisonment for arson,” Nyuswa said.
The Director of Public Prosecutions in Mpumalanga Advocate Nkebe Kanyane has praised the prosecutor and investigating officer for a job well done, adding that the NPA will continue to fight the scourge of gender-based violence in ensuring that the citizens of this country are safe.