A Pretoria couple who inflicted severe injuries on their one-year-old daughter — including broken ribs, bruises and bite marks — has been sentenced for her murder, with the father receiving life imprisonment and the mother 15 years behind bars.

Pretoria Rekord reports that, according to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, the couple, Joseph Molwana (25), a Mozambican national, and the mother (who cannot be named as she was a minor at the time of the crime) lived in Soshanguve.

“Molwana was sentenced to life imprisonment for the premeditated murder of his one-year-old daughter, Sphesihle Nonlanhla Njobe. [The mother], who was a minor at the time of the offence, was sentenced to 15 years’ direct imprisonment for the same offence, in terms of the Child Justice Act [75 of 2008].”

Mahanjana says both were further sentenced to five years’ direct imprisonment for child abuse.

“In addition, Molwana received a two-year direct imprisonment sentence for being in the country illegally.

“The court ordered that all sentences for Molwana run concurrently with the life sentence. The court also declared both accused unfit to work with children and unfit to possess firearms.”

She says the couple was at the mother’s home when they woke up that morning on May 15, 2022, and realised that their one-year-old daughter was not responsive.

“They went to call their neighbours. When the neighbours arrived, they realised that the child was dead.

“They then called family, community members and the police. On arrival, the police arrested the couple on the scene.”

In court, both accused pleaded not guilty, claiming they were unaware of what had happened to the child.

They said the child had been crying the previous night, but they did not know what was wrong and eventually fell asleep.

However, State Prosecutor Hanlie Du Preez led compelling evidence from a pathologist, which revealed that the child had been severely abused, with four broken ribs, bruises and bite marks on her body.

Mahanjana says during sentencing proceedings, the defence argued for a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentences, citing Molwana’s status as a first-time offender who had been in custody for over two years, and the mother’s status as a minor at the time, lacking parental guidance.

“However, prosecutor Du Preez asked the court to impose the prescribed sentence of life imprisonment because the couple deliberately committed serious offences of abuse towards their own child, who was only a year old. Furthermore, Du Preez argued that the community was outraged by this offence, and their hopes are on the courts to send a message by the sentence imposed.”

In delivering judgment, Magistrate Pieter Nel agreed with the prosecution, finding that the couple showed no remorse and that the child had suffered prolonged abuse.

He stressed the need to protect society from such individuals.

“The NPA hopes this sentence sends a strong message that gender-based violence and crimes against children remain a priority and will be prosecuted without fear or favour,” says Mahanjana.

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