Man Sentenced To 25 Years Imprisonment After Plea Agreement
The Limpopo Polokwane High Court has sentenced Jeffrey Muronga (29), to effective 25 years imprisonment, for charges: rape, murder, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice. Muronga, pleaded guilty, was convicted, and sentenced as charged. In his plea agreement, the accused stated that on 17 November 2020, in Vingerkraal, Bela-Bela, he met the deceased, Melania Ruben (a 3-year-old girl), playing with other children, and he requested her to follow him to his homestead.
He asked the deceased to wait for him outside while he was bathing, he then asked her to come inside the house and requested her to sit on top of the bed, while he went to the kitchen to take a knife. He approached the deceased and stabbed her once in the neck and she bleed profusely. The accused further admits raping the deceased and hitting the deceased with an axe on the forehead and she died instantly. He wrapped her lifeless body with a duvet and placed it inside a bag and where the body was dumped nearby a dumping site.
Later, the accused fled to a farm Dooring Lagter and remained there for five days. He went back to Fera Care Wildlife, where he was working, and his employer asked his colleagues to lock him inside a container and called the police. The accused concluded his plea, by admitting that the child died because of his action and further pleaded with the court, the deceased's family, and the community to forgive him.
During sentencing, Judge Francis Maake Kganyago, remarks that the deceased was just a small innocent child, who died a very painful death at the hands of the accused, and the murder was callous and senseless. Judge Kganyago sentenced Jeffrey to an effective 25 years imprisonment and the sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
The NPA applauds the good work of Adv. Nkhetheni Munyai, and the investigating officer Captain Dana Smith, of Bela Bela police station.
Issued by:
Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Limpopo Division
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