THE family of Tshegofatso Pule wants her killer boyfriend Ntuthuko Shoba to get a life sentence.
Speaking on behalf of the family outside the South Gauteng High Court on Tuesday, 10 May, Tumisang Katake said they were disappointed that the presentencing hearing was postponed but understood the court needed to be thorough.
“Anything less than a life sentence would not be justice,” he said, adding that he was hoping the matter would be concluded when it returned to court.
Briefly making an appearance, Shoba (33) told court his probation report was incomplete. He was the mastermind behind the brutal murder of heavily pregnant Pule, who was found shot and hanging from a tree in Durban Deep, Roodepoort, in 2020.
The 28-year-old beautician also had stab wounds to her chest. She was last seen alive at Shoba’s residence.
In March, acting judge Stuart Wilson found Shoba, a former JSE analyst, guilty of premeditated murder but acquitted him of a charge of defeating the ends of justice.
Muzikayise Malephane (31) confessed that he had killed Pule, acting on instructions from Shoba, as part of his plea deal. He is currently serving a 20-year sentence. He told the court that Shoba offered him up to R70 000 to kill Pule because he didn’t want his wife to know that he had impregnated her.
National Prosecuting Authority spokeswoman Phindi Mjonondwane said the sentencing was postponed because Shoba decided to hire a private probation officer. She said he had to be given time to complete his report.
The matter was postponed to 28 July.
