Pretoria – A 41-year-old North West woman, Helen Mashaba, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted as the mastermind behind her husband’s death.
“The provincial commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena welcomed the life sentence handed down to Helen Mashaba (41) by the North Gauteng High Court on Monday,” said North West police spokesperson Captain Aafje Botma.
“The sentencing came after the accused was apprehended by Mooinooi police after confessing to being the mastermind behind the murder of her husband on Friday, 10 October 2020.”
After the murder took place, Botma said members of the South African Police Service were summoned to the scene after the body was spotted at Malema Section in Modderspruit, close to Mooinooi.
“Upon arrival at the scene, they found the lifeless body of a male with three gunshot wounds on the upper body. The wife was interviewed and she confessed. It was also revealed that the accused [wife] hired two hitmen to kill her husband execution style,” Botma said.
It was further established that Mashaba had prior plans to kill her husband.
“Thus, she was found guilty on Thursday, 20 October 2021 and her bail was revoked. The two hitmen are still at large and the police request anyone who may have information that can lead to their apprehension to contact the Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Michael Sello of Mooinooi Detectives on 060 987 9861,” Botma appealed.
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police in North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena has lauded the investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Micheal Sello of Mooinooi detectives and all the role players for securing the conviction.
Last month, a North West-based woman who was on trial for allegedly killing her husband died in hospital while waiting to apply for bail.
Nancy Majonhi, a Zimbabwean woman, was accused of hacking her husband to death with a spade and tossing his body parts in three pit toilets, six year ago in the North West province.
According to the North West health department, she died at the Moses Kotane Hospital in Ledig.
"We confirm that Ms Nancy Majonhi died in Moses Kotane Hospital on the 13th November 2021, in the early hours of the morning," spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane said.
Majonhi, 42, was receiving medical treatment at the hospital at the time of her death. She reportedly refused to eat since she was arrested in August.
She was due to appear in the Mankwe Magistrate's Court in Mogwase last month, where her mental report was expected to be tabled. In her previous appearance the court had ordered that she be subjected to a mental examination before applying for bail.
Majonhi was unable to attend court on two occasions due to ill-health, and was receiving medical attention at the hospital under police guard.
Majonhi allegedly bludgeoned her husband Prosper Chipungare, 44, with a hammer until he lost consciousness, she then chopped him with a spade and tossed his body parts in three pit toilets.
IOL