MAN SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS DIRECT IMPRISONMENT FOR FATALLY SHOOTING HIS GIRLFRIEND
The Mpumalanga High Court has convicted and sentenced Sibusiso Happy Ngobeni (24) of Matsulu to twenty-five years of direct imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend, Yvonne Thandiwe Shabangu. The accused and the deceased were in a love relationship and residing together. Before the incident, Ngobeni accused Shabangu of cheating. On 06 September 2023, the deceased left their place of residence to work when Ngobeni followed her. He found the deceased near Bonjour garage in Mbombela alighting from the bus. Ngobeni parked his vehicle and waited for the deceased to get off the bus. While the deceased was changing to another transport, the accused fatally shot the deceased and sped off.
During the police investigations, the accused was identified and arrested. He pleaded guilty in court, and State Advocate Senzo Zindela addressed the court about the scourge of gender- bs ed violence. A photo- album and post-mortem report confirming that Shabangu’s cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds to the chest was presented.
The court sentenced the accused accordingly and declared them unfit to possess a firearm.
The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the speedy finalisation of the matter and is committed to pursuing justice for the victims of crime. We remain steadfast in our fight for gender-based violence and femicide.
