Andile Sibusiso Shongwe and Muzi Mandoza Jele.
Two young men have each been sentenced to 25 years’ direct imprisonment for the murder of their employer, Magdalene Johanna Coetzee, in Carolina.
According to the Mpumalanga spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, Monica Nyuswa, Andile Sibusiso Shongwe and Muzi Mandoza Jele were sentenced by the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court for the murder of their employer.
The accused, who were employed as general workers by the deceased, were each convicted of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The court heard that on October 13, 2024, the accused went to the deceased’s residence in Hugo Street, Carolina. Upon arrival, they attacked and suffocated her, resulting in her death.
“They then ransacked the house and fled the scene with the deceased’s cellphone and other belongings. A concerned neighbour, after not seeing the deceased for some time, went to check on her. After gaining access to the property, the neighbour discovered her body inside the house,” Nyuswa said.
Nyuswa added that a few days later, the accused were found attempting to sell the deceased’s laptop. They failed to provide a satisfactory explanation of where it came from, which led to their arrest.
During the trial, both accused pleaded not guilty. The State, led by Senior State Advocate Mkhuseli Ntaba, assisted by Advocate Natalie Msibi, presented evidence from several witnesses, including the neighbour who discovered the body, the person who bought the laptop, and the investigating officer.
A post-mortem report confirmed that the cause of death was suffocation.
In aggravation of sentence, the State argued that the accused had breached a position of trust, having worked for the deceased for about seven years. The State further submitted that they showed no remorse and had poor prospects for rehabilitation.
A Victim Impact Statement compiled on behalf of the family highlighted the deep emotional and social impact of her death on both her relatives and the Carolina community.
The court sentenced each accused to 25 years’ imprisonment for murder and 15 years’ imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances. The robbery sentence will run concurrently with the murder sentence, resulting in an effective 25 years’ direct imprisonment.
The accused were also declared unfit to possess firearms. Their application for leave to appeal the sentence was dismissed.
