The high court in Makhanda on Wednesday sentenced Yonela Mbaxa to 20 years’ imprisonment for killing her boyfriend Sibusiso Lawrence Ncedo.
Mbaxa, 29, was also sentenced to two years for unlawful possession of a firearm and one year for possession of ammunition, which were ordered to run concurrently with the murder sentence.
The incident occurred in August 2022 at the Ntywenka Location in Nqanqarhu (formerly Maclear).
Mbaxa and Ncedo had spent the evening of August 27 drinking with neighbours when Mbaxa discovered that Ncedo had recently acquired a pistol. She later took control of the firearm and hid it from him.
“A dispute escalated the following morning when, in a fit of anger over allegations of infidelity, Mbaxa followed Ncedo outside as he attempted to leave the house.”
“She fired at least two shots, one of which struck Ncedo in the back, killing him instantly,” said National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luxolo Tyali.
Tyali said forensic evidence contradicted Mbaxa’s initial account, prompting her to revise her version of events.
“Initially, she claimed that Ncedo had died by suicide, but the post-mortem findings, which revealed a gunshot wound to his back, ruled out this possibility.
“In her second statement, Mbaxa claimed that the shooting occurred during a struggle over the firearm.”
“However, this explanation was dismissed by expert ballistic analysis, which concluded that Ncedo was likely shot while attempting to flee.”
Mbaxa pleaded guilty to all charges on October 28 this year.
