Mkhonto during one of her appearances before sentencing
By Kopano Dibakwane
The Mbombela High Court has sentenced Zanele Mkhonto (29) to 20 years direct imprisonment, this comes after she was found guilty for the murder of her late 45 year-old police Sergeant, Mandlenkosi Happy Twala, in an incident that occured on the fateful night of Tuesday 2 August 2022, at Gedlembane in Pienaar, outside Nelspruit.
Mkhonto, the said girlfriend of the deceased at the time, was initially arrested and charged on Wednesday 10 August 2022, after the case was handed over to the Hawks Nelspruit-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation for further probe.
Mpumalanga spokesperson for the Hawks, Captain Dineo Sekgotodi, said Mkhonto appeared at Kanyamazane Magistrate’s Court on the same day of her arrest and was remanded in custody.
“ The accused received the services of Legal Aid and battled in court on several occasions to obtain bail. She was denied bail and remained in custody since.“ The case was then postponed to Thursday 2 November 2023 for a guilty plea and further postponed to Monday 27 November 2023 for a pre-sentence report at the High Court. The accused remained in custody,” said Sekgotodi.
