Jealous boyfriend sentenced for life in the Delmas High Court

Tshepo Johannes Ngakane (32) was sentenced to life plus 15 years imprisonment in the Delmas High Court on Monday, September 6 for the murder of his 29-year-old girlfriend and the attempted murder of a 35-year-old man in 2020.

Jealousy was the motive for Ngakane to attack his girlfriend, Ntombifuthi Sibeko and the 35-year-old man.

The court heard that Ngakane believed Sibeko was having an affair with the man which led him to stage an attack on the victim.

“Ngakane stabbed the 35-year-old multiple times and left him helpless in the bushes on Wednesday March 4, 2020,” the police said in a media statement released on Tuesday, September 7.

The Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Delmas also heard that four days after Ngakane attacked the victim, he launched his revenge plan on his girlfriend, Sibeko.

According to the police, Ngakane proceeded to attack his girlfriend. He stabbed her several times on Sunday, March 8, 2020 and she succumbed to her injuries as a result.

Neighbours raised alarm after they saw a two-year-old boy walking with bloodstained clothes in the street. The child was identified and a follow-up was made to his residence. Upon arrival, they noticed that the door was forcefully opened and notified SAPS.

“Upon the police’s arrival, the door was opened and police discovered Sibeko’s body lying in the pool of blood with multiple stab wounds and her ear slightly cut.”

An investigation led to Ngakane’s arrest two days later and he was charged with murder, attempted murder and housebreaking.

The 15-year sentence will be served concurrently with the life sentence.

The provincial commissioner of the police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela welcomed the sentence and condemned Gender-Based Violence.

“The brutal murder of the child’s mother has left a gap which will have a negative impact on the child’s growth as he will forever miss the love from his mother. Though we appreciate the harsh sentence that was handed down to the accused, this pandemic should come to an end. We plead with the various sectors in the community to join hands with government in fighting the scourge,” said the General.