“SENTENCE him or release him!”
These were the words of the late Dolly Tshabalala’s furious relatives yesterday when acting judge Cassim Moosa postponed the sentencing of her murderer, Donald Sebolai, to Thursday.
The family complained that the case was taking too long and that it cost a lot of money to travel from Soweto to the high court sitting in Palm Ridge, Ekurhuleni.
Dolly’s mum, Elizabeth Marawa said: “If the judge wants to release him he should just do that. We’ve been coming here for a long time and we live quite far. It costs a lot of money.”
She said they had hope sentencing would happen yesterday so they could find closure.
“I’m a weak and sick person, suffering from diabetes and hypertension. All this has started taking its toll on me,” Elizabeth told the People’s Paper.
Earlier, social worker Siphumelele Mbatha took the stand to present her pre-sentencing report. She said Donald (38) wanted to meet Dolly’s family to explain what had happened on the night she died and offer financial support.
She said he maintained that he had not killed Dolly intentionally in 2014. Donald claimed he didn’t start the fight that led to Dolly’s death and it was she who fetched the knife she was killed with.
“Donald Sebolai seems to believe his only fault was not seeking medical assistance for the deceased following the stabbing,” said Mbatha.
Donald was found guilty last year of killing Dolly and defeating the ends of justice.
