Soldier to be sentenced for girlfriend's murder

A soldier is set to be sentenced for the murder of his girlfriend after violating a protection order against him. 

Mpumalanga NPA spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said the Mpumalanga High Court will on Tuesday sentence Welcome Sambo, 32, for the murder of Wandile Lucia Khoza, 29.

Carrying a firearm, Sambo entered the Nkomazi municipality premises in Malelana near Komatipoort, where Khoza worked on October 12 2021.

“He found Khoza and an altercation ensued in the offices and the accused fired several shots at the deceased. He then fled the scene. The deceased's cause of death was determined to be fatal gunshot wounds to the body.

“Sambo had a protection order against the deceased. Some of the conditions set by the court was for the accused not to assault the deceased and/or not threaten to kill the deceased,” said Nyuswa.

He handed himself over to police at Malelana on October 13 2021. He also handed his private firearm to police.

Sambo pleaded not guilty. The state led evidence of several witnesses including eyewitnesses, said Nyuswa.

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