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Man sentenced to 20 years for killing pregnant girlfriend

Pretoria (South Africa) – The Pretoria High Court sitting in Palm Ridge on Tuesday sentenced Siyabonga Lebohang Hlophe Mabe to 20 years in prison for killing his 36-year-old pregnant girlfriend.

The 26-year-old was in a relationship with the mother of five when the incident happened.

“On the evening of February 29, 2020, while the victim and the accused were at Catter’s Tavern, in Orange Farm, an argument broke out between the two, where Mabe assaulted and dragged her to his shack in Extension 7.

“The following morning, the victim was found badly injured in an open veld near Mabe’s place. Police were alerted who then called the ambulance. She died in hospital on March 1, 2020, due to blunt force trauma to the brain,” said NPA Gauteng spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana.

Mahanjana said Mabe was arrested on April 12, 2021 and has been in custody since, after the NPA successfully opposed bail.

“In court, he pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder and denied ever knowing the deceased. He said he only saw her when he was brought to the scene by his aunt, who showed him what he had done.”

An aunt of the victim testified in court that the deceased was five months pregnant when she was killed. Her death has impacted the family as she leaves behind five children, the youngest being 2 years old, while the oldest is 11 years old. 

“She told the court that the siblings had to be separated, and three children are now staying with their unemployed grandmother in Mpumalanga, while the others are staying with their fathers.”

Advocate Lawrence Sivhidzho told the court that the victim was killed most brutally. She was dragged, her skin peeled off and left in the bush the entire night. 

“Mabe showed no remorse, he maintained his innocence even at the sentencing stage, therefore, he asked the court to impose a deterrent sentence,” Mahanjana added.

SourceIOL
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