The Mpumalanga Division of the High Court has convicted and sentenced Madoda Johannes Mthethwa (34), from Fernie Trust in the Eestehoek, to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Nomfundo Charmaine Sidu on May 14.
According to the spokesperson for Mpumalanga National Persecuting Authority Monica Nyuswa, the accused and the victim were in a relationship and lived together at the accused’s residence.
On the evening of April 26 2023, the victim left the house, and the accused followed her.
He forcibly dragged her back inside, where he viciously assaulted her using a broomstick and by kicking her repeatedly.
“Neighbours heard the victim’s screams and pleaded with the accused from their homes to stop the assault. One neighbour even intervened, managing to calm the accused briefly. However, Mthethwa resumed the assault until the victim succumbed to her injuries. He then attempted to clean the bloodstains from the scene,” she said.
Nyuswa said on the morning of April 27, the accused informed a neighbour that the deceased had passed away. The matter was subsequently reported to the police, and the accused was arrested and charged.
To prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, State Advocate Eugene Mathebula led compelling evidence, including testimony from an eyewitness and a medical doctor. The doctor confirmed that the victim died from blunt force trauma to the head. The court also heard that the relationship was volatile and marked by ongoing gender-based violence.
Mthethwa was convicted of murder and defeating the ends of justice. In aggravation of sentence, Advocate Mathebula emphasised the accused’s brutality and insensitivity, especially considering that the victim was epileptic and physically vulnerable. He argued for the imposition of the prescribed minimum sentence to serve as a deterrent to others who commit gender-based violence.
The State submitted a photo album of the crime scene and a post-mortem report detailing the victim’s gruesome injuries.
In sentencing, Judge Roelofse remarked on South Africa’s alarming rates of violent crimes, particularly those related to gender-based violence and femicide, and underscored the importance of harsh penalties to deter such acts. Mthethwa was sentenced to life imprisonment and declared unfit to possess a firearm. His application for leave to appeal the sentence was dismissed.
