A Soshanguve couple, Sibusiso and Lerato Mahlangu, who were convicted of the insurance murder of Lerato's ex-partner, were on Friday sentenced to life imprisonment.
While many in the public gallery in the Pretoria high court welcomed the sentence, Sibusiso’s mother, sitting behind the accused box, cried.
Judge Papi Mosopa said it was clear the couple was driven by greed and that the murder was pre-planned.
They had lied to the court, “providing half-truths”, while Lerato had refused to take accountability for her role in the murder.
Mosopa said people who took other people's lives were a danger and needed to be removed from society.
He wanted to hand down a sentence that would teach the couple to respect human life and reflect on their life choices.
He said he was not persuaded to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
In November, Mosopa found the married couple guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, murder and fraud for killing Sibusiso Sithebe and passing off his body as Sibusiso Mahlangu's to claim insurance money. The insurer paid out R575,000 for a life insurance claim submitted by Lerato.
She and her husband had maintained their innocence for the January 2022 murder but confessed at the start of the sentencing and mitigation process.
A tearful Lerato Mphefu, Sithebe’s girlfriend at the time of his murder, expressed relief after the sentence was handed down.
“I thank God for today because I have been coming to this case. I am happy that where he is sleeping he will get justice. We are happy for the support we were receiving. They must go and stay in jail. I prefer that they don't get parole because I and my child have suffered so much, and we are still suffering. Explaining to the child will be so difficult. The way they took his life is too much for us,” she said.
Mphefu said her daughter, who was one year old at the time of her father's murder, misses him.
“The child misses her father and we have to tell him that he will never come back, he has gone to God. The time will come when she will understand,” she said.
Sithebe's brother Xolani Sithebe, who said his brother's spirit was always present throughout the proceedings, said the deceased had finally been vindicated.
“You fought for yourself, we believe that a person who has left us in this world can fight for themselves. So that's what he did. He did that for himself,” Sithebe said.
He said perhaps the family would now be able to find closure and healing.
“This has been a very traumatic experience.”
TimesLIVE
'He fought for himself': Life in jail for couple guilty of insurance murder
Pretoria high court judge Papi Mosopa said it was clear the couple was driven by greed and that the murder was pre-planned.
Image: ANTONIO MUCHAVE
A Soshanguve couple, Sibusiso and Lerato Mahlangu, who were convicted of the insurance murder of Lerato's ex-partner, were on Friday sentenced to life imprisonment.
While many in the public gallery in the Pretoria high court welcomed the sentence, Sibusiso’s mother, sitting behind the accused box, cried.
Judge Papi Mosopa said it was clear the couple was driven by greed and that the murder was pre-planned.
They had lied to the court, “providing half-truths”, while Lerato had refused to take accountability for her role in the murder.
Mosopa said people who took other people's lives were a danger and needed to be removed from society.
He wanted to hand down a sentence that would teach the couple to respect human life and reflect on their life choices.
He said he was not persuaded to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
In November, Mosopa found the married couple guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, murder and fraud for killing Sibusiso Sithebe and passing off his body as Sibusiso Mahlangu's to claim insurance money. The insurer paid out R575,000 for a life insurance claim submitted by Lerato.
She and her husband had maintained their innocence for the January 2022 murder but confessed at the start of the sentencing and mitigation process.
A tearful Lerato Mphefu, Sithebe’s girlfriend at the time of his murder, expressed relief after the sentence was handed down.
“I thank God for today because I have been coming to this case. I am happy that where he is sleeping he will get justice. We are happy for the support we were receiving. They must go and stay in jail. I prefer that they don't get parole because I and my child have suffered so much, and we are still suffering. Explaining to the child will be so difficult. The way they took his life is too much for us,” she said.
Mphefu said her daughter, who was one year old at the time of her father's murder, misses him.
“The child misses her father and we have to tell him that he will never come back, he has gone to God. The time will come when she will understand,” she said.
Sithebe's brother Xolani Sithebe, who said his brother's spirit was always present throughout the proceedings, said the deceased had finally been vindicated.
“You fought for yourself, we believe that a person who has left us in this world can fight for themselves. So that's what he did. He did that for himself,” Sithebe said.
He said perhaps the family would now be able to find closure and healing.
“This has been a very traumatic experience.”
TimesLIVE
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Lerato Mahlangu alleges abusive marriage led to ex-lover's death
Mahlangu confesses to killing wife's former lover
Soshanguve couple found guilty of killing wife's ex-lover
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