The mastermind behind the murder of Tshegofatso Pule had planned to make it look like a suicide. This was revealed in a statement by Muzikayise Malephane at the South Gauteng High Court on Friday, Soweto Urban reports. Malephane who pleaded guilty on charges of murder, defeating the ends of justice, and being in possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition was sentenced to 20 years direct imprisonment. He revealed that the original plan was to take Pule’s mobile phone and write a suicide note on her WhatsApp status before hanging her on a bridge in Maraisburg.
Also read: Tshegofatso Pule’s killer convicted after turning State witness
“He (Pule’s boyfriend) asked for my assistance in finding someone to murder his girlfriend, Ms. Tshegofatso Pule. Pule was pregnant and he (the boyfriend) did not want his wife to find out about the pregnancy,” said Malephane in a statement that was read by his legal representative in court.
The statement further states that Malephane was offered R70 000 for the murder. The 20-year sentence Malephane got was a result of his plea agreement with the state and agreeing to testify against the mastermind who has also been arrested. It came as no surprise for the family that the boyfriend is alleged to be the mastermind behind the murder of their child.
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“Our suspicions have been confirmed,” said family spokesperson, Tumisang Katake. “From the disappearance of Tshegofatso we suspected that the boyfriend had something to do with it.”
Malephane wrote a letter to the family apologising for what he did and according to Katake, they accept the apology but he must still face the consequences. On the letter Malephane regrets killing Pule and assures that he is willing to do anything in order to learn from his actions. 
28-year-old Pule was 8 months pregnant when she was killed in June last year. Her former boyfriend is expected to appear in court on Monday.
