MAN HANDED TWO LIFE SENTENCE

Osborne Nhlalala Mavodze (32) was found guilty on two counts of murder by the Tembisa Magistrate Marley Mokoena and was sentenced to two life imprisonment on Tuesday, 25 April 2022.

The accused was permanently removed from the community by Magistrate Mokoena after a marathon trial that started in 2021.

It is alleged that on the 02 February 2020, the police were called to a scene at Winnie Mandela where a shack was burnt down.

“According to the tenant who was staying in the same yard, he had, earlier on around 04:00 on that fateful day, heard a commotion of an unknown man shouting and assaulting Beauty, demanding his bank card and also asking the whereabouts of Beauty’s younger sister, Valencia.” said Constable Patricia Mgijima the spokesperson of the Tembisa SAPS.

“The neighbour went out and tried to chase away the unknown man who vowed to come back and kill both siblings”.

“After a few minutes, the neighbour heard a bang sound followed by the cries of Beauty and Valencia Sekgola pleading for help and begging for mercy. Neighbours woke up and noticed that Beauty and Valencia’s shack was on fire. Neighbours helped to extinguish the fire but the shack had already burnt down and the two ladies, Beauty (32) and Valencia (21) were badly burnt.”. said Mgijima.

An ambulance was called and both were ferried to Tembisa Hospital while a case of attempted murder was opened at Tembisa Police Station.

Sergeant Ronnie Rabedzwana took over the investigation and left no stone unturned. During his investigation, he identified Osborne Nhlalala Mavodze as the man who was shouting for his card and later burnt the shack.

Sergeant Rabedzwana further went to Tembisa Hospital where he obtained statements from both victims which also put Mavodze at the crime scene.

Unfortunately, both victims later succumbed to their injuries, with one of them being a few weeks pregnant.

The attempted murder charge was changed to murder.

It was also discovered during the investigation that Mavodze was in possession of one of the victim’s cellphone, which he had left at his birth place village in Limpopo and police had to collect it as it formed part of the investigation and evidence.

Acting Station Commander Colonel Rose Mokoena welcomed the sentence and warned men who take advantage of vulnerable women and children, that the arm of the law will deal with them without mercy and Gender Based Violence will never be tolerated.

Colonel Mokoena further thanked and encouraged Sergeant Rabedzwana for securing this hefty sentence and removal of this notorious man in the community.