Woman sentenced to life for orchestrating husband's murder
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A Gauteng woman and her friend have been sentenced to life imprisonment for hiring hitmen to murder her husband, revealing a chilling tale of premeditated crime and financial motives.
Ntabiseng Tlali, 42, and her friend, Lineo Ralitsa, 39, both from Boipatong were convicted and sentenced for the murder of Tlali’s husband, David Malewa Tlali.
The National Prosecuting Authority in Gauteng said the duo were found guilty of the premeditated murder of David Tlali who was gunned down in August 2024.
Explaining the merits of the case, NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said Tlali contacted her friend, Ralitsa, and asked her to organise hitmen to kill her husband.
"Ralitsa then contacted her ex-boyfriend, who assisted in sourcing two male Lesotho nationals to carry out the murder."
The court heard that on August 11, 2024, the two men arrived at Ralitsa’s residence and spent the night there.
"In the early hours of the following morning, Ralitsa received a call from Tlali informing her that her husband had arrived home.
"The two men then proceeded to the deceased’s residence, accosted him at the gate, and fatally shot him in the head before fleeing the scene.
The matter was reported to the police, and during investigations, the police received information from an informant alleging that Tlali and Ralitsa had organised hitmen to kill the deceased."
Three months after the murder on 20 November 2024, Tlali was arrested at her workplace in Sharpeville.
"Two days later, Ralitsa handed herself over at the Boipatong Police Station."
Both women pleaded guilty.
"Tlali claimed that she had her husband killed because he had allegedly abused her."
While the women pleaded with the court to deviate from the prescribed sentence, the State argued that both the accused were convicted of an extremely serious offence, particularly in the context of violent crime in South Africa.
"In delivering judgment, the court agreed with the State that the accused may regret their actions, but had failed to demonstrate genuine remorse.
"The court further held that the murder of one’s spouse is an extremely serious offence that must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
"The Judge also remarked that the involvement of foreign nationals in the commission of the crime fuels tensions and negative perceptions regarding crimes committed by foreign nationals in South Africa, noting that Ralitsa had recruited Lesotho nationals to carry out the murder."
The NPA said that the court concluded that the murder appeared to have been financially motivated, particularly as Tlali received multiple insurance payouts following her husband's death.