Durban man gets four life sentences for hanging his children

Sibusiso Mpungose, the man who pleaded guilty to murdering four children by hanging, has been sentenced to four life terms. 

IOL reports that the sentence was handed down by Judge Sharmaine Balton.

Mpungose murdered his three biological children, Siphesihle, 4; Khwezi, 6; and Kuhlekonke, 10; in their Wyebank home, and then his 16-year-old stepdaughter Ayakha Jiyane in New Germany, on September 3. 

It is suspected that Mpungose may have killed the children to spite his wife Xoli, who was in the process of divorcing him.

Xoli had apparently reported him to the police prior to the crimes due to the intensity of their argument.

Mpungose fetched the children from school, and Akayha was last seen with him when he fetched her from Pinetown Girls’ High School. 

Xoli later found the bodies of her children and said her husband had sent their 10-year-old back and forth to the tuckshop to buy snacks, presumably so he would have time to murder each of the children.

After the murders, Mpungose went on the run from police.

(Compiled by Nica Schreuder. Additional reporting by Charles Cilliers and News24 Wire)

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