Pretoria - The Nelspruit Regional Court has sentenced 48-year-old Khulu Bhuti Khumalo, from Clau Clau in Kabokweni, to 15 years of direct imprisonment for killing his ex-girlfriend’s mother, 65-year-old Sibongile Msimango.
Khumalo was additionally convicted and sentenced for the unlawful possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition, according to the Mpumalanga spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, Monica Nyuswa.
“He was dating the daughter of the deceased until their relationship ended. In April 2016, the deceased’s daughter accompanied the accused to a function and returned home. Later in the night, the accused returned and demanded she open the door for him,” said Nyuswa.
The girlfriend refused to open the door, and her mother came out to speak to Khumalo – who knew her very well.
“He then fired several shots and killed the deceased. This shooting was witnessed by a young female sibling, who saw the incident through the window. The matter was reported, and the accused was apprehended and found in possession of a firearm and ammunition,” said Nyuswa.
Regional court prosecutor, Lazarus Rabothata, relied on the evidence of the eyewitnesses, as well as three ballistic reports which were presented to the court.
“The accused was found guilty as charged,” said Nyuswa.
Rabothata also handed in the Victim Impact Statement, compiled by the slain woman’s daughter, under the facilitation of Court Preparation Officer Zodwa Lekhuleni.
“In her statement, she authored that the incident of losing her mother has left her traumatised, and she is heartbroken,” said Nyuswa.
“The court sentenced Khumalo to 15 years direct imprisonment for murder, three years imprisonment for unlawful possession of an unlicensed firearm and another three years in jail for possession of ammunition.”
The National Prosecuting Authority in Mpumalanga has welcomed the conviction and sentence.
“We hope this will go a long an in addressing the scourge of gender-based violence in our society,” Nyuswa concluded.
Earlier this month, the High Court in Mpumalanga, sitting in Breyten, sentenced Kaido Bhekikhaya Kunene, of Emampondweni in Piet Retief, to life imprisonment for the murder of a Swazi national, Mbali Mdluli.
At the time, Nyuswa said the murdered woman had been working for Kunene’s family as a domestic worker.
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