In South Africa, an elderly man was found guilty and sentenced to 35 years imprisonment in the Durban High Court on Monday after he pleaded guilty to the murder of his girlfriend and his three-year-old girl.
Natasha Kara, spokesperson of the National Prosecuting Authority said Thembinkosi Thatios Ngcobo (62) murdered Ntombifuthi Happiness Blose (30) and their child Minenhle Swelihle Blose (3) in September 2020 in Phoenix.
In his plea, Ngcobo said he was in a relationship with Ntombifuthi since 2016. At the time, he lived and worked in Pietermaritzburg and she visited him regularly. Their child, Minenhle was born in 2017.
Ngcobo was transferred to work in Durban in 2020 and he lived in Phoenix where Ntombifuthi continued to visit him regularly.
“In September 2020 they decided to move in together and she told him that she was going to fetch her clothes from where she had been staying.”
According to Kara the woman later returned saying that her ex-boyfriend had refused for her to take her belongings.
“Ngcobo was surprised by this as he got the impression that she was staying with her ex-boyfriend all along.”
Ngcobo advised Ntombifuthi to seek assistance from the police in recovering her belongings.
Kara said while Ntombifuthi was fetching her clothes the following day, Ngcobo received a phone call from her ex-boyfriend telling him that she was HIV positive. She returned to their home and they went to sleep.
“In his plea, Ngcobo said he was overwhelmed by anger and emotions and decided to reach for a bush knife that was in a bag nearby.”
Ngcobo stabbed Ntombifuthi several times on her body with the bush knife.
“The child was fatally injured because she was clinging to her mother.”
Ngcobo fled the scene and ran towards the N2 freeway where he wanted to commit suicide but decided to go back to the house where he was later arrested by the police.
Kara said Ngcobo was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for Ntombifuthi’s death and 15 years imprisonment for the death of Minenhle.
“The presiding officer ordered that the sentences run consecutively. The matter was successfully finalised by Senior State Advocate Denardo Macdonald.”
