In June 2020, Tshegofatso Pule was found shot on the chest[1] and hanging from a tree in Durban Deep, Roodepoort. Pule, a 28-year-old South African woman, was 8 months pregnant at the time.[2]

After an investigation, police established that her boyfriend, Ntuthuko Shoba was responsible for her murder by hiring a hitman to kill her.[3][4] Shoba was convicted of conspiracy to murder and related charges in March 2022. A few months prior, in January, the hitman Muzikayise Malephane testified on his and Shoba's plan to murder Pule.[5] Malephane had pled guilty to the murder in February 2021.[6]

On July 29 2022, Shoba was sentenced to life in prison.[7] The judge, Stuart Wilson, noted that there were no mitigating factors that would cause the court to deviate from the maximum sentence.[8] The hitman, Malephane, had previously been sentenced to 20 years for Pule's murder.[9]

Pule's murder generated public outcry on the high rate of gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa. [10][11][8]

References

  1. ↑ Fihlani, Pumza (25 March 2022). "Tshegofatso Pule: South African court convicts boyfriend of murder". BBC News.
  2. ↑ "Tshegofatso Pule's murder trial to resume on Monday". January 24, 2022.
  3. ↑ Seleka, Ntwaagae. "Tshegofatso Pule murder: Mastermind Ntuthuko Shoba sentenced to life in prison". News24. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
  4. ↑ Seleka, Ntwaagae. "Tshegofatso Pule: Lawyer pleads with court not to give Ntuthuko Shoba a life sentence". News24. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
  5. ↑ "Sentencing to commence in the Tshegofatso Pule murder case". July 28, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Malephane admits to killing Tshegofatso Pule". February 19, 2021.
  7. ↑ Zulu, Nompilo (July 29, 2022). "Ntuthuko Shoba sentenced to life for murder of Tshegofatso Pule". Sunday World.
  8. 1 2 "Shoba sentenced to life behind bars for Tshegofatso Pule's murder". SowetanLIVE.
  9. ↑ Dlamini, Palesa. "Ntuthuko Shoba sentenced to life in prison for Tshegofatso Pule's murder". Citypress.
  10. ↑ Modise, Kgomotso. "Tshegofatso pule". ewn.co.za. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
  11. ↑ "Calls for justice reverberates at Tshegofatso Pule's emotional send-off". June 11, 2020.


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