LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MURDER OF FIVE-YEAR-OLD NIECE
04 FEBRUARY 2026
LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MURDER OF FIVE-YEAR-OLD NIECE
The Mtubatuba Regional Court has sentenced a 27-year-old man to life imprisonment for the murder of his five-year-old niece, which was committed in December 2024 at Enkanjini, Hlabisa, in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
On 31 December 2024, the accused’s family members gathered at a family home for New Year’s Eve celebrations. At approximately 11pm, the accused was seen entering the room where the child was sleeping and carrying her outside. When the family later went into the yard to mark the New Year, they saw the accused carrying a white sack walking towards his shack which was located nearby. They also realised that the child was missing and began searching for her.
Concerned for her safety, family members questioned the accused on her whereabouts. He informed them that the child was at his shack. Despite a search of the surrounding area, the child was not found. When questioned again, the accused fled the scene. The family then returned to the accused’s shack, where the child’s body was discovered inside a white sack, which was placed in a three-legged pot. A blood-stained knife was found on the floor nearby. The accused later presented himself at the police station, where he reported that he had stabbed the child and hid her body in a three-legged pot. He was subsequently arrested.
During the trial, Prosecutor Phumlani Thembalethu Khoza presented evidence from an eyewitness and police official, as well as the post-mortem findings, photographic evidence, and the DNA analysis linking the blood found on the knife to the child. In aggravation of sentence, a Victim Impact Statement compiled by the child’s mother and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Sithembile Cebekhulu was presented to the court. The mother described the trauma suffered by her family, stating that she remains in shock and struggles to come to terms with the fact that her brother was responsible for her child’s death. She described her child as joyful and innocent.
In addition to life imprisonment, the accused was declared unfit to possess a firearm, and the court ordered that his name be entered into the National Child Protection Register. The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the successful finalisation of this matter. We remain committed in our pursuit for justice on behalf of the victims of crime. We trust that this sentence demonstrates the seriousness with which we view crimes of this nature. Children are amongst the most vulnerable members of our society and they should be protected.
Issued by:
Natasha Ramkisson-Kara
NPA Regional Spokesperson
KwaZulu-Natal Division
071 6700 229