Thandokwakhe Skosana (37) from Ratanda shot his 17-year-old girlfriend on 26 January 2013 in the face, left her next to the road to die and fled the scene. He phoned her parents the next day and told them that their daughter, Nomcebo Sithole was dead and that they could find her body next to the R103 (Old Alberton Road).
Skosana was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by Mr Pieter du Plessis (Regional Court Magistrate) yesterday. Mr Du Plessis said that the photo of the dead girl with her wide open scared eyes was the worst thing he saw in his more than 20 years of being a magistrate. On hearing all the gruesome details again, her mother Hlengiwe burst into tears and was led away by a family member.
The magistrate said he would have liked to send Skosana to life imprisonment and he could have done it if the murder was premeditated, but the issue of premeditation was never brought in front of the court.
Skosana who has two wives and six children, dated Nomcebo at that stage. She was about to end the relationship (which was described in court as being abusive) when Skosana murdered her.
Skosana is a taxi driver and he picked Nomcebo up at her mother’s home on the night of the murder. After the murder, Skosana fled to KwZulu Natal and later to Limpopo.
Detective Sergeant Happy Kubheka followed his trail and eventually managed to capture Skosana on 17 October 2014 in Alberton.
When Nomcebo’s mother returned to court, Mr Du Plessis showed great compassion and called her to the front where he told her of her rights regarding her input to the probation board once Skosana is eligible for probation. She then asked to address the court and gave thanks to the court and police officers who brought justice to the case. “I will never see my child again, but at least I now have peace in my heart that justice has prevailed,” Hlengiwe said.
Mr Richard Mathabela was the state prosecutor.
