The suspect received a 20-year prison sentence. Nkosinathi Sibeko (23) had a fight with convicted Mphikeleli Mthethwa (28) over R20 that they were supposed to buy drugs with.
Mthethwa stabbed Sibeko once on the upper body. Sibeko then ran away from Mthethwa but fell on the street and died. The incident happened on February 2, 2017, next to the traffic circle in Extension 28, Vosloorus.
The case was registered at the Vosloorus Police Station on the same day and was assigned to Mphele for investigation.
Mphele said his first attempt to solve the case paid off. He said he started by trying to find information from the community who helped him as much as possible.
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“Through the help of the community we managed to find the weapon used by the suspect. The weapon was then taken to forensic for testing. It tested positive, as it was found with the DNA that incriminated Mthethwa. Mthethwa was then arrested.
“The case, however, dragged on for two years because of the delay in releasing evidence by Forensic Science Laboratory in Pretoria. But after its release, the suspect was sentenced 20 years direct imprisonment by Vosloorus Regional Court on August 22,” said Mphele.
The suspect was found guilty of murder and was also declared unfit to possess a firearm in the future.
Mphele said, “I felt great after the sentencing because it will send a strong message to other people who are considering committing a similar crime and to those who think that the police are not doing their job.”
Communications officer at Vosloorus SAPS, Capt Piet Rossouw, said the community must know that crime does not pay.
“I hope this sentencing will stop the community from committing crime. I would also like to thank the people, including Mphele, who assisted in putting the perpetrator behind bars. I also thank the community for being the eyes of the police,” said Rossouw.
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Meanwhile, Lucas Dlamini, father of Sibeko, said he was happy with the sentence received by his son’s murderer.
“Even though I will not see my son again, I am happy with how the justice system handled the case,” said Dlamini.
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