Justice served for murder of Mbombela deputy sheriff

The father of the murdered deputy sheriff, Michelle Jones, said he is satisfied with the life sentence the Mbombela High Court recently handed down to his daughter’s killer.

Lawrence Jones and many of Michelle’s family and friends were all in court on March 20, when Hendry Dlamini (36) was sentenced to life for the murder of Michelle and another 10 years for the attempted murder of her partner, Julio Cohen.

The sentences will run concurrently.

Dlamini shot Michelle and Cohen multiple times in their parked car near a shop in Nelsville on October 20, 2022.

According to Monica Nyuswa, the spokesperson for the Mpumalanga National Prosecuting Authority, Michelle had purchased a house occupied by Dlamini. On October 19, 2022, the day before the murder, Michelle and Cohen went to the house to change the locks, prompting Dlamini’s arrival. He aggressively asserted his ownership of the house, which he claimed belonged to his mother. He further threatened to kill them, and as a result, the pair applied for a protection order against the accused.

The following day, Dlamini shot the couple. Lowvelder previously reported that Dlamini had surrendered himself to the Nelspruit Police Station on October 25, 2022.

Despite the state’s successful opposition to his bail release, Dlamini pleaded not guilty during the trial and opted to represent himself.

Nyuswa noted that the state, represented by Adv Thulani Msibi, presented evidence from multiple witnesses, establishing a dispute over the house purchased by the deceased. Witness testimony placed Dlamini at the scene of the crime, supported by a photo album and ballistic report linking him to the murder. This evidence was further corroborated by the post-mortem report, confirming the cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds.

In light of the credible evidence presented, the court found Dlamini guilty as charged. Before imposing the sentence, Judge Roelofse remarked that the accused had the clear intention to kill the deceased. He emphasised the seriousness of the crime, describing it as an attack against a defenceless woman, and that the accused had shown no remorse for his actions.

Reflecting on the court proceedings, Lawrence stated: “Justice is being served. As a family, we are satisfied with the court outcome. As a father, I can say I am proud of my girl. She laid down her life to save the lives of many.”

Expressing his hope for societal change, Lawrence said: “I hope that someday soon, the Lord will intervene to resolve the madness within our society.”