Pretoria man sentenced to life in prison for killing his partner
Handing down the sentence, Judge Portia Phahlane said Ntshabeleng had stabbed a defenceless woman and left her for dead.
A Pretoria man who stabbed his partner to death last year has been sentenced to life plus five years in jail.
John Malope Ntshabeleng (49) appeared for sentencing in the Pretoria high court on September 27.
He had previously been convicted for stabbing partner Nkweleng Martha Zambo to death on August 7, 2022.
The court had heard that the couple got into an argument while drinking at a friend’s house in Rietfontein after Zambo had refused to go back home with Ntshabeleng.
Ntshabeleng walked out leaving Zambo and the friend in the house only to return moments later.
When Zambo told him to go home and sleep instead of answering his knock on the door, he had forced his way in through a window, knife in hand.
He charged Zambo and stabbed her to death.
Ntshabeleng was apprehended by the community members who responded to the friend’s husband’s cry for help and later handed over to the police.
He would plead not guilty but after conviction asked the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence because he was a first-time offender and intoxication had impaired his judgement as he committed the offence.
However, state prosecutor, Advocate Vusumzi Tshabalala, told the court that Ntshabeleng was not remorseful for his actions as he had not apologised to the family of the deceased nor had he shown concern for his victim’s minor children.
Tshabalala also handed in victim impact statements (VIS), compiled by court preparation officer, Lebohang Lebese. In these Zambo’s minor daughter, sister and niece expressed how her death had traumatised and caused them financial strain because she was the family breadwinner.
Handing down the sentence, Judge Portia Phahlane said alcohol had not played a role in the offence.
She said Ntshabeleng had stabbed a defenceless woman and left her for dead.
Phahlane said the death has left a very bad scar on the children and family of the deceased and caused them trauma.
She found no substantial and compelling reason to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence and said the only appropriate sentence was life in prison.
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