‘Y ES!” the family members of murdered Mpho Moleko shrieked, seemingly unable to control themselves as judgment was handed down in the Johannesburg High Court yesterday.
Philani Magubane, 21, and Lindani Dlamini, 25, were each sentenced to life in prison for the rape and murder of the mother of a three-year-old girl.
Magubane and Dlamini shot dirty looks at Moleko’s family and hurled insults their way before they were taken back to the holding cells.
Outside court, Moleko’s aunt, Priscilla Maluleke, said: “These people have no mercy. They do not have God in their hearts. Every time we came to court during these seven months, they looked at us like we were stupid. It has been so painful for us coming to court because our wounds were reopened each time.
“Mpho was a very good, jolly person. We are very happy with the judgment, but she didn’t deserve this.”
Holding off tears, she added: “We will never forget these children and the pain they have brought to our lives.”
Yesterday, before the end of the family’s seven-month ordeal in court, first at the Protea Magistrate’s Court and more recently at the high court, a dozen of Moleko’s family and friends had sat in courtroom 2E, passing around a framed photograph of her as they waited for sentencing.
Moleko’s near-naked body was found on the morning of October 9, lying on a soccer field near Merafe hostel in Phiri.
The night before, she had gone out with her boyfriend Solly Mashashi to a local tavern, where she became a target for Magubane and Dlamini, who had been scouting for a woman to “get for the night”, according to Judge Seun Moshidi.
The court heard on Wednesday how the two men had sat with another patron at the tavern and asked him to find them a girl for the night. The man had refused.
At about 11.30pm, Mashashi and Moleko had decided to leave for home. Moleko had been the first to leave the tavern as Mashashi still had a bit of his drink to finish.
Outside the tavern, Mashashi saw Magubane pointing a gun at his girlfriend. He stepped out and was shot in the chest.
Moleko was taken to a field near the hostel, raped by the two men and shot once in the forehead.
Judge Moshidi said the two men had shown no remorse for the crimes and handed them life sentences for Moleko’s murder.
“The accused showed no respect for the rights of the victim. There was no reason for them to kill Moleko after (they had satisfied) their lust. It is clear that no condoms were used as both men’s semen was found inside Moleko’s body. Yet they maintained their innocence throughout the trial.
“When one glances at the picture of her near-naked, lifeless body, one is filled with revulsion… She must have been helpless before she got killed.”
Mashashi, who survived the shot to his chest, sat quietly in court, his eyes fixed on the backs of the two men responsible for the death of the mother of his three-year-old daughter.
When he walked calmly out of court, his face showed half a smile.
“I am happy with the judgment, but now my focus is on looking after our child,” he said. - VUYO MKIZE