A 33-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Mpumalanga High Court for the premeditated murder of his wife, Wandisile Lucia Khoza, while she was at work at the Nkomazi municipal offices.

Welcome Sambo was also sentenced for the violation of a protection order that Khoza had successfully applied for against him. He was sentenced on June 2.

According to the Mpumalanga NPA’s spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, Sambo and Khoza share two children.

On May 22, 2019, Khoza had successfully applied for a protection order against her husband.

Nyuswa said some of the conditions set by the court were for Sambo not to assault, threaten or kill Khoza.

She said on October 12, 2021, Sambo went to the Nkomazi Local Municipality’s offices where his wife worked.

Sambo did not find her and left. He later returned armed and found her.

Nyuswa said there had been an altercation between the pair before Sambo stabbed Khoza several times and shot her. She died on the scene. He fled the area.

She said a post-mortem of the victim’s body showed that the cause of death had been a gunshot wound.

Sambo pleaded not guilty in court and claimed self-defence.

Nyuswa said a state advocate, Eugene Mathebula, led evidence from several witnesses. He also handed in a victim impact statement compiled by Khoza’s aunt.

In her statement, she detailed that since the death of her niece, their hearts as a family are shattered, and they are left with many unanswered questions regarding the way in which Khoza had been murdered.

In aggravation of Sambo’s sentence, the state led evidence of the victim’s older sister, which proved that he is a violent person. Sambo was found guilty on both counts.

Judge Vincent Ratshibvumo took into consideration the personal circumstances surrounding Sambo during his sentencing and the seriousness of the offences he was convicted of.

Ratshibvumo said domestic violence has become a scourge in society, and many women and children live in fear.

Sambo was sentenced to life in prison for both counts. He was declared unfit to possess a firearm.