A 36-year-old woman will serve time behind bars for horrifically ending her boyfriend’s life at her Mooikloof Ridge home in Pretoria East with an axe and sleeping pills.
The Pretoria High Court sentenced Ramatsela Ramushu to one life term for the premeditated murder of Mthetheleli Gwanya, and two years’ direct imprisonment for defeating the ends of justice.
Ramushu was arrested in 2021 after she scalded Gwanya with boiling water and assaulted him several times.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the court found Ramashu guilty of killing Gwanya by hacking his neck with an axe.
Mahanjana said the court had found the murder was premeditated as the week before, Ramushu had discovered Gwanya had a girlfriend and two children she had not been aware of.
“After the discovery, she invited the deceased over to her place in Mooikloof Ridge,” Mahanjana said.
In April 2021, Ramushu prepared breakfast for two then laced Gwanya’s drink with sleeping pills.”
The deceased then became drowsy.
“At this stage, Ramushu handcuffed him, scalded him with boiling water then hacked his neck with an axe him several times until he died.”
Mahanjana said Ramushu then wrapped the body in a blanket, leaving it in her garage as she started cleaning the scene.
She said Ramushu tried to commit suicide by drinking petrol, however that failed and she fled the scene in the deceased’s car.
“She was later found unconscious inside the stationary vehicle on Garsfontein Road by the metro police and paramedics, who took her to Steve Biko hospital.”
In the deceased’s car, police found an axe, handcuffs, and a doormat soaked in blood.
Mahanjana said on the same day, Gwanya’s long-term girlfriend filed a missing person’s report with Boschkop police after he had failed to arrive to fetch their children as preplanned.
“When Ramushu regained consciousness in hospital, she contacted her family members, requesting they go to her residence with the police, where they found the body of the deceased in her garage.”
Ramushu was arrested in hospital on May 4, 2021.
Mahanjana said in court, Ramushu pleaded not guilty to the charges claiming the incident was an accident.
“When she took the stand during mitigation, she read into the record a letter apologising to the deceased, his family, and her family. She asked the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence.”
Prosecutor Advocate Andre Wilsenach told the court life imprisonment was the appropriate sentence, because Ramushu showed no remorse for her action, and did not tell the court why she had committed the offence.
Wilsenach said Ramushu gave the court a lot of untruthful evidence and handed in victim impact statements compiled by the court preparation officer, Lebohang Lebese, in which the Gwanya’s sister, brother and long-term girlfriend expressed how his death had affected them emotionally and psychologically.
In judgment, Judge Papi Masopa said Ramushu had no respect for the right to life, as the deceased died a painful death at her hands.
“Not only did she not have respect for life, but she also did not respect the deceased’s right to privacy, because when the deceased was found he was half naked.”
Masopa said the deceased’s children were now fatherless and found Ramushu to be a pathetic liar who did not take responsibility for her actions.
Police calls on locals to take a stand against crime after conductor’s brutal murder
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
