Update: Double life sentence for father who slit children’s throats
Mdladla was sentenced to 30 years' imprisonment for the murder of his son and 30 years for the murder of his daughter
A double life sentence was handed down to 33-year-old Mkhonzeni Bernard Mdladla today (Friday) in the Madadeni High Court.
Mdladla was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment for the murder of his son and 30 years for the murder of his daughter. The sentences will run concurrently.
The father pleaded guilty yesterday to killing his children during the night of Monday, May 30.
On the night in question, he approached the house where his former girlfriend and their two children lived. In fear, both the mother and grandmother fled the home, leaving behind the two children.
He entered the home, situated in the Gudlintaba area of St Chad’s near Ladysmith, and found the children sleeping.
It is unknown what happened in the house to trigger the man to cold-bloodedly slit the children’s throats and rip open their stomachs, before fleeing the scene.
Following an intense investigation, Mdladla was arrested hours after the brutal murder of four-year-old Bongukwenza Mdladla and six-year-old Thandiwe Mdladla.
Police officers who responded to the scene were horrified at the “cruel and gruesome” nature of the attack.
Finding the tiny, lifeless bodies torn open had hardened police officers traumatised. “Young lives were robbed of a future by their own father.”
According to communication spokesperson Captain Charmaine Struwig, “Like many other gruesome and traumatising scenes officers are exposed to, they are given the opportunity to go for counselling to help them cope with what they have seen.”
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