South African Man Handed Two Life Sentence Over Murder

Hlabirwa Rassie Nkune, a 37-year-old man from Mpumalanga, South Africa, was given a life sentence for killing his girlfriend and her sister.

Nkune was found guilty on two counts of the premeditated murder of the two siblings and was sentenced to two life terms by the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court on Friday, May 18, 2023.

The other victim, Sergeant Marcia Mazibuko (41), was a police officer who had a romantic involvement with Pretty Mazibuko (46).

Nkune was accused of two murders and two attempted murders; however, the state dropped the attempted murder allegations.

The accused visited Mazibuko’s farmhouse in KaNyamazane on May 15, 2022, and an argument concerning infidelity followed.

The suspect left the home and then returned wielding a gun. Pretty, the accused’s girlfriend ran to the car and tried to pull out of the yard as he began shooting at her. When the car became stuck in a pile of dirt, Nkune pursued the victim and kept firing.

When two people in a passing car volunteered to help, Nkune opened fire on them, but they managed to flee unharmed. The accused went back to the house where Pretty was first shot.

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The victims passed away from gunshot wounds on their way to the nearby clinic after he ran after Sergeant Marcia and shot her.

The suspect was apprehended in August 2022 for the murder case that occurred in Sundra, Mpumalanga, after he had fled the scene.

The accused admitted guilt to two charges of murder in court, but the state rejected his plea on a third count because it did not accord with the evidence the state had.

This resulted in the state presenting witness testimony as evidence. The accused was found guilty on two counts of premeditated murder as the court believed the state witness to be reliable.

Advocate Zwelethu Mata read a victim impact statement that had been put up by court preparation officer Nomfundo Mokoena during the aggravation of the sentence.

The mother of the two victims said in her statement that she hates the person who killed her children and that she usually feels terrified, nervous, and hurt whenever she is in court.

Judge Takalani Vincent Ratshibvumo, who presided over the punishment, warned the entire Mbombela community that the court would not accept or treat anyone who committed crimes against women in our society with respect. As a result, the Judge ruled that Nkune was unqualified to own a firearm and sentenced him to two life sentences in jail.

The National Prosecuting Authority praised the prosecution and the police for their hard work in ensuring that justice was done and welcomed the sentence.

Nkune has also admitted to the death of Hillary Gardee, a South African politician’s daughter who was born in Lagos, Nigeria.