WOMAN SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS FOR MURDER OF 4-YEAR-OLD IN SOWETO
The High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division in Johannesburg, sentenced Nonhlelelwa Matsebula (34) to 30 years in prison for the kidnapping and murder of a four-year-old girl for ransom in Protea. Matsebula was also ordered to serve 20 years of the imposed sentence before she could be considered for parole. The accused has pleaded guilty to the crime of murdering Keeya Mbulawa(4).
Investigations by Captain Isaac Khubeka from the police revealed that on 13 January 2024, the accused joined the children playing in the yard and intentionally kidnapped Mbulawa with the intent to extort money from her parents. The accused gave the deceased juice laced with tablets to make her sleep, tied a cable around her neck and placed a sock in her mouth. The accused then placed the deceased in a suitcase and attempted to leave the scene but was confronted by the deceased’s mother.
The accused abandoned the suitcase and disappeared but was later arrested on 29 January 2024 after her photo was circulated on social media. The deceased died on 17 January 2024 due to complications from suffocation caused by the cable tie. The accused has admitted to the crime and acknowledged that her actions were wrongful and unlawful.
Advocate Colleen Ryan stated that the accused had the full intention of extorting the deceased parents and that it was cruel for the accused to have given the parents hope by allowing them to believe that their child was still alive when in fact she was already dead. The NPA welcomes the sentence as it reflects the gravity of the senseless and tragic crime, ensuring that justice is served for the victim and the family while sending a strong message that such acts of violence will not be tolerated in society.
