Father, 20, sentenced to life for killing his child and burning ex-girlfriend

A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his two-year-old child and another 10 years for burning his ex-girlfriend.

Kamogelo Collins Mashabela, 20, was sentenced in the Limpopo high court on Tuesday.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said Mashabela had killed the toddler and burnt his ex-girlfriend in March 2019. The incident occurred in Ga-Kgari village in the Sekhukhune area.

“Mashabela had a relationship with the mother of the deceased, which she terminated during October 2018. Prior to the offence, a state of enmity existed between him and his ex-girlfriend because she had left him,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.

Mashabela initially denied guilt but later changed his plea.

He initially submitted an affidavit in support of his bail application, telling the court that the complainant was suicidal and had set fire to a house which led to the death of their baby. 

The state handed in evidence which showed that he had burn wounds on his feet at the time of his arrest.

“During the trial, Mashabela submitted his plea explanation and told the court that on the day of the incident, he gained access into his ex-girlfriend’s home while the family was fast asleep. 

“He then went to the ex-girlfriend’s bedroom and throttled her. He went further to douse the complainant and the bedroom with petrol and set the house on fire, burning the child to death. The ex-girlfriend managed to escape through the window, with burns to her body,” Malabi-Dzhangi added.

The court agreed with the state and sentenced the accused to life imprisonment for the murder and 10 years for the attack on the ex-girlfriend, and ordered that all sentences run concurrently. He was further declared unfit to possess a firearm.