HARRISMITH – The Free State High Court, sitting at Harrismith, handed Mzwakhe Paulos Mhlambi (42) a life sentence following his conviction for murdering his girlfriend, Dibakiso Maria Motaung (36).

Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring, spokesperson for the provincial police, said the accused was sentenced on Thursday for the murder which the court classified as femicide following an in-depth investigation into the nature of the murder.

“Tseki police responded to a murder complaint at Phamong Village. Upon arrival, they found the woman lying motionless on the floor inside the house. She was half-naked and had visible bruises on her face and thighs. Police also seized a panga that was found next to the deceased at the crime scene, ” said Mophiring. He said the victim was positively identified by her family and that the deceased was murdered on 25 January this year and that Emergency Medical Services personnel certified her dead at the scene. Mophiring said the victim’s body was discovered inside the house at about 08:45.

Mophiring said the post-mortem examination confirmed that Motaung died from internal bleeding sustained during the assault. “The investigation revealed that the accused assaulted the deceased and repeatedly banged her against the wall inside the house, accusing her of infidelity,” he said. Mophiring said Mhlambi’s life sentence was the culmination of an investigation by Sergeant Montane Mokitimi of the Tseki Detective Service working with state prosecutor Advocate Mkhabela.

The Free State Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thabang Lesia, has welcomed the sentence, saying it sends a strong message that crimes against women will not be tolerated and that perpetrators of gender-based violence and femicide will face the full might of the law.