The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria sentenced a 49-year-old man to life imprisonment for killing his 35-year-old ex-girlfriend in a house fire in 2022.
Velly Ngondwe, from Moholoka in Brits, killed Pracous Sphiwe Ndlovu after she ended their relationship because of domestic violence.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, said that even after Ndlovu ended the relationship, Ngondwe continued assaulting her and did not stop even after she reported him to the community leadership and at the taxi rank where he worked as a taxi driver.
On August 29, 2022, Ngondwe set fire to Ndlovu’s business shack.
“He subsequently attempted to ignite Ndlovu’s house but a neighbour intervened and extinguished the flames. Unfazed, Ngondwe solicited a friend to break a window of Ndlovu’s home, intending to pour petrol inside to carry out his lethal plan. The friend refused but purchased five litres of petrol for Ngondwe,” said Mahanjana.
Mahanjana said on October 1, 2022, Ngondwe drove past Dlovu’s house and told her three children, who were aged 12, 15, and 17, that they were breathing for the last time on that day.
The next day, Ngondwe returned to Ndlovu’s house and set it on fire while she was sleeping with her children.
“The children sustained minor injuries, while Ndlovu suffered severe burns while attempting to rescue them. Sadly, she later succumbed to her injuries in the hospital,” said Mahanjana.
Ngondwe was arrested the next day and has been held in custody after he was denied bail.
During trial, Ngondwe pleaded not guilty and denied being involved in the crime saying he was with another girlfriend at the time.
However, the State provided the court with evidence that directly linked him to the crime.
During sentencing, it was argued that Ngondwe showed no remorse for his actions and the aftermath of the crime left Ndlovu’s children orphaned and destitute.
He was further sentenced to 15 years each for two counts of attempted murder and five years for arson. The court ordered that all sentences run concurrently with the life sentence.
IOL News