KINROSS – The Mpumalanga High Court in Middelburg sent Bongani Luke Sibeko (44) from Kinross to life imprisonment on Friday, 1 November, for the murder of his wife, Ms Fikile Sibeko.
Ms Sibeko was a domestic worker in Secunda at the time of her death.
The court heard that the accused was abusive towards his wife.
She decided to leave their common home in Kinross and for two years worked as a domestic worker.
Sibeko did not know where she was. However, when he eventually did find her, he went directly to her place of work in Secunda where he kicked down the door and shot his wife.
Neighbours who heard the gunshots, called the police. Sibeko was arrested on the scene.
During the trial, Sibeko pleaded not guilty, claiming accidental discharge of his firearm.
Senior State Advocate, Ntsika Mpolweni led evidence of three state eyewitnesses who told the court that they saw the accused kicking down the door where his wife was working and that he fired shots.
The post-mortem report showed that Ms Sibeko sustained gunshot wounds and Sibeko was found guilty as charged.
In aggravation of sentence, the state handed in a victim statement assessment which indicated that the Fikile’s family felt betrayed by the manner in which their daughter died at the hands of the man who was supposed to have protected and safeguarded her as a wife.
The state further argued that cases of gender-based violence where men kill their partners, have become a cancer in our society, therefore courts have a duty to send a strong message to perpetrators of such crimes.
The court sentenced Sibeko to life imprisonment for murder, five years for possession of a firearm and another three years for possession of ammunition.
The court ordered the sentences on all counts to run concurrently, the effective sentence being life imprisonment.
