YOUNG MAN SENTENCED TO 23 YEARS' DIRECT IMPRISONMENT FOR STRANGLING GIRLFRIEND TO DEATH

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the sentence of 23 years' direct imprisonment imposed by the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Mbombela on 25-year-old Herold Mokoena, following his guilty plea to the murder of his girlfriend, Shaleen Nyakallo Manyike.

The sentence follows a plea and sentence agreement concluded between the State and the accused in terms of Section 105A of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977.

Mokoena and Manyike were in a domestic relationship and lived together with their young child at Boikhutso Trust. On 29 August 2024, Manyike received a WhatsApp voice note from a male individual on her cellphone, prompting Mokoena to question her about its origin. When she was unable to explain, Mokoena became enraged and strangled her with his hands until she became unresponsive.

According to the agreed statement of facts placed before the court, Mokoena realised that Manyike was no longer breathing and placed her lifeless body on a bed. He then contacted her grandmother, falsely claiming that she had fallen from the bed and was unresponsive. The deceased was subsequently transported to hospital in the accused's father's vehicle, where she was certified dead. Mokoena was later arrested and charged with murder.

In mitigation of sentence, the defence submitted that the accused had pleaded guilty, demonstrated remorse for his actions, and suffered from a medical condition. On this basis, the defence requested the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.

In aggravation of sentence, State Advocate Senzo Zindela argued that murder remains a serious and prevalent offence in South Africa, particularly in the context of domestic and gender-based violence. He emphasised that the deceased was a young mother whose life was brutally cut short by the very person who was expected to love, protect, and care for her. She suffered a painful and senseless death in what should have been the safety and comfort of her own home.

Advocate Zindela further submitted that the couple's young child has been deprived of the opportunity to grow up knowing and being nurtured by his mother. The State also handed in the postmortem report and photographic evidence in support of its submissions.

The court accepted the plea and sentence agreement and sentenced Mokoena to 23 years' direct imprisonment for murder. He was further declared unfit to possess a firearm.

The NPA welcomes the sentence as a significant step towards justice for the victim and her grieving family. The sentence sends a strong message that acts of domestic violence and the killing of intimate partners will not be tolerated, and that perpetrators will be held accountable for their actions.

The Authority remains steadfast in its commitment to combating gender-based violence and femicide through the effective prosecution of offenders and the protection of vulnerable members of society.

The NPA further encourages victims and survivors of domestic violence to report incidents to law enforcement authorities and to seek assistance from available support services, ensuring that appropriate intervention can be provided and perpetrators brought to justice.

Monica Nyuswa

NPA Regional Spokesperson

DPP Mpumalanga