Mpumalanga court sends serial offender to 32 years behind bars

By Lwazi Rail-Shongwe and Kopano Dibakwane

Lucky Thokozane Nkosi(37) was sentenced to 32 years in prison by the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Middleburg for a series of crimes including rape, kidnapping, murder, and defeating the ends of justice.

The court’s decision reportedly follows Nkosi’s guilty plea on January 22, 2025.

According to Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Lt-Col Jabu Ndubane, the charges stem from two separate incidents in October and December 2023, where Nkosi raped and kidnapped a 15-year-old girl and later murdered another woman.

“ On 26 December 2023, the accused was seen at another victim’s residence in Extension 9, Leslie. The two later left together. Concerned family members reported the victim missing to the police on 27 December 2023 after failing to contact her. The victim’s child confirmed seeing the accused leaving with her mother.

Later that day, a passerby discovered the victim’s body at a bridge in Leslie. The police were notified as that of the missing victim. The postmortem report revealed the cause of death as ligature strangulation and multiple blunt force injuries,” said Lt-Col Ndubane.

Nkosi’s sentencing includes 25 years for rape, 5 years for kidnapping, 20 years for murder, and 3 years for defeating the ends of justice. Some of these sentences will run concurrently, resulting in an effective term of 32 years. Additionally, Nkosi was also declared unfit to posses a firearm.

Lt-Col Ndubane said this is not Nkosi’s first conviction, having previously been sentenced to 10 years in prison for rape and attempted murder in 2014.

 The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major-General (Dr.) Zeph Mkhwanazi, praised the investigation team for their dedication and thorough work, ensuring Nkosi’s conviction.

“ Such individuals must be removed from society to protect communities. This was his second time committing similar crimes, showing that he did not learn from his previous conviction. I applaud the efforts of our members in ensuring that justice is served for the victims,” said General Mkhwanazi.