The Vryheid Regional Court has sentenced a 51-year-old Mondlo man to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, bringing justice in a case that sent shock waves through the local community.

According to Northern Natal News, Innocent Fanyane Dubazane was found guilty of killing 45-year-old Nonsikelelo Nqobile Xaba, whose body was discovered in a ditch in the C-section area of Mondlo on February 8, 2024. Xaba, who was well known in the community, was found wrapped in a duvet cover and shade netting. She had suffered severe blunt force trauma and was fully clothed but barefoot.

Although the couple had been in a romantic relationship, they had kept it hidden from their families. It later emerged that Xaba was last seen alive at Dubazane’s home.

During police questioning, Dubazane made admissions that linked him to the murder. Investigators discovered the victim’s blood-stained shoes hidden in a plastic bag in an outside toilet at Dubazane’s home. Drag marks at the back of the house led to the spot where her body was found. Police confirmed that the duvet and netting used to conceal the body came from Dubazane’s home and that of his brother, who shared the property.

The state, represented by prosecutor Andre Symington, presented compelling evidence from community witnesses, family members and police officers. Witnesses identified the victim’s shoes and the duvet as belonging to her and the accused respectively. A relative also testified to having seen the couple together before the murder.

Symington highlighted the frequency of gender-based violence in South Africa during sentencing arguments, stressing that Dubazane showed no remorse and that the attack was both brutal and calculated.

The court found Dubazane and the deceased had been in a domestic relationship and ruled there were no compelling reasons to deviate from the minimum prescribed sentence for femicide. As a result, Dubazane was sentenced to life imprisonment and declared unfit to possess a firearm.

In response to the outcome, NPA regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to fighting gender-based violence and femicide.

“There is no place in our society for perpetrators of such cruelty. We will continue to prioritise these cases and ensure that justice is delivered swiftly and decisively,” she said.

The sentence brings closure to a case that deeply affected the Mondlo community and stands as a strong warning to perpetrators of violence against women.

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