Pretoria – The High Court in Mpumalanga, sitting in Breyten, has sentenced Kaido Bhekikhaya Kunene, of Emampondweni, in Piet Retief, to life imprisonment for the murder of a Swazi national, Mbali Mdluli.
Monica Nyuswa, Mpumalanga spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), said the murdered woman had been working for Kunene’s family as a domestic worker.
On April 10, 2021, Kunene followed Mdluli who had gone to fetch water from a nearby borehole at the Emampondweni Farm in Piet Retief.
“This was after he accused the deceased of stealing R27 000 and an illegal firearm. After an argument, the accused chopped the deceased with a bush knife several times on her head, neck, and arms,” said Nyuswa.
Mdluli died in hospital.
“The murder was witnessed by a 12-year-old boy, who reported the incident to his parents, and the accused was arrested,” said Nyuswa.
In court, Kunene pleaded guilty, and the State, led by advocate Themba Lusenga, argued that the murder was premeditated.
“The deceased’s aunt testified in aggravation of sentence and informed the court that the deceased had left behind three children, of which the youngest is 2 years old,” said Nyuswa.
Judge Thando Mankge sentenced Kunene to life imprisonment and declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
Meanwhile, the Mpumalanga director of public prosecutions, advocate Nkebe Kanyane, welcomed the sentence, saying it would send a strong message to perpetrators of gender-based violence.
IOL