The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has hailed the life sentence handed down to the heartless Luthando Lungisa Zozo (38) who brutally murdered his girlfriend, Akhona Myolwa (36) in Standerton two years ago (2021).

The court heard how Zozo pumped three bullets into the helpless Myolwa when they were in a car on the night of 05 October 2021 at about 01h00 am. The accused is said to have fired six shots but Myolwa was hit by three bullets.

 “He then drove her to the hospital as if he cared but she was unfortunately certified dead on arrival. “

Zozo was arrested after the police received a report of the incident, and when he appeared in court, his request for bail was denied. After that, he was imprisoned while his trial was ongoing.

The accused was finally found guilty of premeditated murder by the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court which was sitting in Delmas on 15 June 2023.

The sentence though was handed down on Monday 02 October 2023 by the High Court in Middleburg where Zozo received life imprisonment.

The accused was further declared unfit to possess a firearm.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela commended the Investigation team, the Prosecution team, and the Judiciary for the exceptional manner in which the case was handled which resulted in the well-deserving sentence imposed upon the perpetrator. “We still have a duty as the country to join hands in the fight against the scourge of Gender-Based-Violence and Femicide which is often seen even in Domestic Violence incidents that usually end in murders,” said the General.