Pretoria - The High Court in Polokwane has sentenced 36-year-old Sfiso Nkabinde to 18 years in jail for the 2022 murder of a teacher who was allegedly his ex-lover.
Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, the spokesperson for the police in Limpopo, said Nkabinde was also sentenced to three years in jail for housebreaking, five years for theft and an additional three years for contravening a protection order.
“Dudu Sindi Masango, aged 28, an educator at Segololo Secondary School, was found brutally murdered at her home in Dindela village on 11 June 2022. Police were summoned to the scene at about 3.30pm, after her body was discovered with multiple stab wounds,” said Ledwaba.
A case of murder was opened and preliminary investigations revealed that the intruder had broken into Masango’s home, stabbed her several times with a knife and, thereafter, fled the scene in her vehicle.
The vehicle was later found abandoned in bushes.
“The investigating officer, Sergeant Madimetja Junior Manganye, from SAPS Hlogotlou detectives, utilised his excellent detective skills to track down the suspect,” said Ledwaba.
“His sharp skills paid off when the ex-boyfriend was arrested on the same day and positively linked to the murder.”
During the trial, the court heard that the murdered teacher had obtained a protection order against Nkabinde.
He was kept in custody throughout the trial.
“The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently, meaning the accused will serve an effective 18 years imprisonment,” said Ledwaba.
Last year, the High Court in Polokwane sentenced 45-year-old David Matjila, of Burgersfort, to life imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend, Farina Valencia Mahlake and their son, Kgoitsane Mahlake.
At the time, National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson in Limpopo Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said that on the night of August 14, 2021, Matjila went to Appiesdoring Burgersfort, where the woman and child were living.
“Upon his arrival, an argument ensued between the couple,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
“Later, the accused (stabbed) his girlfriend 10 times in the neck and further stabbed his son 12 times in the heart with a sharp object.”
Matjila then left the two deceased lying in a pool of blood. The bodies of the two deceased were discovered the following day.
IOL