POLICE OFFICER SENT TO JAIL FOR MURDER OF HER HUSBAND
11 FEBRUARY 2026
POLICE OFFICER SENT TO JAIL FOR MURDER OF HER HUSBAND
The High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division in Pretoria, has sentenced Police Sergeant Kate Lindiwe Hlongwane (47), attached to Dube Police Station under Visible Policing, to 17 years’ direct imprisonment for the murder of her husband, Russel Hlongwane (40), the father of their three children.
Evidence presented in court revealed that on 27 January 2024, Hlongwane visited a sangoma in Soshanguve, JJ. Her husband was alerted by the vehicle tracking system that the family car was in a high-risk area. He drove to the location and found Hlongwane consulting with the sangoma. He instructed her to return home, and they drove back separately to their residence in Soshanguve Extension 7. Later that evening, when the deceased arrived home, he confronted Hlongwane about her visit, and an argument ensued. The deceased told her that he would take her to his parents’ home “to learn discipline.” They began loading Hlongwane’s clothes into their vehicle and drove off together. A few minutes later, in the early hours of the morning, they returned home, where Hlongwane shot her husband multiple times with her service pistol.
Upon hearing the vehicle return and gunshots shortly thereafter, the family’s domestic worker went outside to investigate. She encountered Hlongwane, who ignored her inquiries about her husband’s whereabouts. The domestic worker continued searching and found the deceased lying outside the gate near a neighbour’s house, bleeding heavily. A neighbour who had also heard the gunshots rushed the victim to Akasia Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Hlongwane was arrested by SAPS on 28 January 2024, and the matter was referred to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) for investigation.
In court, Hlongwane pleaded not guilty, claiming the firearm discharged accidentally during a struggle with her husband. However, Advocate Vongani Khoza, for the State, presented expert ballistic evidence which contradicted her version. The ballistic expert, trained in distance determination and wound analysis, testified that the shots were fired from a distance, disproving the accused’s claim and proving the State’s case beyond a reasonable doubt.
During sentencing proceedings, Hlongwane, through her legal representative, requested leniency, citing that she is a first-time offender, a mother of three minor children, and had been in custody since her arrest. However, Adv Khoza argued for a sentence that would send a strong message to society. He submitted that the accused showed no remorse and had committed a serious act of domestic violence, a crime prevalent in the country. As a trained police official, she used her service firearm to shoot and kill her husband multiple times. The incident also caused deep division between the two families, resulting in her family not attending the deceased’s funeral.
In delivering judgment, Judge Papi Mosopa agreed with the State that Hlongwane had not demonstrated remorse, noting that even after conviction, she did not apologise to the deceased’s family. Although the court deviated from the prescribed minimum sentence, the judge stated that the imposed sentence serves not only to punish Hlongwane but also to send a clear message that conflicts must be resolved respectfully and lawfully, without resorting to domestic violence.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the sentence and remains committed to holding perpetrators of domestic violence accountable, irrespective of their position or profession.
Issued by:
Lumka Mahanjana
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Gauteng Division: Pretoria
073 002 0000