A Mpumalanga woman who killed her husband, a principal of Zwelisha primary school in KaBokweni was sentenced to life imprisonment and 28 years in the Mpumalanga High court today.
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Edith Shongwe (50) was found guilty on six counts, which are murder, housebreaking with intent to commit crime, robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping, illegal possession of firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.
The court heard that on the evening of Valentine’s Day, in 2017, Shongwe and Vusi Mona were in their home in KaNyamazane when three unidentified men entered unannounced.
The men took Mona, forced him into his vehicle and drove to Pienaar. His lifeless body was discovered the following morning with gunshot wounds.
His legs and feet were tied with shoes laces. After the gruesome discovery, investigations ensued and Shongwe was arrested.
State prosecutor, Ntsika Mpolweni, led evidence of several witnesses showing how Shongwe orchestrated the death of her husband.
The evidence of a police investigator who was at crime scene revealed that there was no forced entry into the house.
An eye witness also told the court that she saw people together with Shongwe taking money from Mona’s bag on the day of the incident.
The three men were never found or identified.
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In aggravation of sentence, the state requested the court to take into consideration the nature of the offence.
During sentencing, Judge Brian Mashile, concurred with the prosecutor that hefty sentence should be imposed on the accused.
He sentenced Shongwe to five years for house breaking with intent to commit crime, fifteen years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, two years for kidnapping, life imprisonment for murder, five years for illegal possession of firearm and one year for unlawful possession of ammunition.
The court ordered the sentences run concurrently and Shongwe was declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Matric Luphondo, welcomed the conviction and sentence. Stating that it demonstrates that as an essential service, the prosecution remains operational and had doubled efforts to ensure that violent cases are prioritised and resolve to create a safer community and for all the citizens of the Province.