Moz woman jailed for murder of SA neighbour’s child in alleged love triangle

A Mozambican national’s need to settle the score with her neighbour has landed her in prison for 30 years for the murder of a three-year-old girl.

Penina Felipe Sambo recently heard her fate in the Pretoria High Court sitting in Benoni after pleading guilty to killing Melokuhle Ngwenya at her Ratanda home near Heidelberg.

Premeditated murder

The 38-year-old – who admitted to committing the offence because she believed the child’s mother was romantically involved with her boyfriend – was found guilty of premeditated murder and being in the country illegally.

She was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

On 3 April 2024, Melokuhle left her home to buy sweets at Sambo’s house after receiving money from her grandmother.

Sambo sold the little girl sweets and then briefly sat with her on the couch before strangling her.

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Child strangled and discarded

“After a few minutes, Sambo began to strangle her to death and thereafter threw her body into a recycle bin outside,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said in a statement.

“When the child did not return home, her mother went to the police station and reported her missing,” she added.

When the police visited Sambo’s home where the child was last seen, they made the gruesome discovery of Melokuhle’s discarded body while conducting a search.

Arrest and guilty plea

Sambo was arrested on the scene and remained in custody until sentencing.

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In her guilty plea, Sambo said she acted out of ire towards the toddler’s mother.

“Moreover, during sentencing she requested the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence, arguing that she is a first-time offender and her pleading guilty demonstrated remorse,” Mahanjana said.

Sambo’s sentencing

“The prosecutor, Advocate Sipho Lalani, argued that Sambo was found guilty of serious offenses that are prevalent in the court’s jurisdiction. Furthermore, he said that the deceased was a minor at the time of her death and the family of the deceased are aggrieved by the loss of their child. Therefore, he asked the court to impose a sentence that would send a strong message to society.”

When handing down the sentence, presiding Judge France van der Westhuizen said he was satisfied with Sambo’s guilty plea.

Even though the law prescribes that a serious sentence of life imprisonment should be given for such crimes, van der Westhuizen said he believes the sentence handed down was appropriate.

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