KEY POINTS
- Thirty years in prison became the sentence for Nonhlelelwa Matsebula in January 2024 after she kidnapped and killed Keeya Mbulawa who was four years old.
- Among her destructive actions she administered medicine to the child then tightened a cable around her neck before placing her inside a suitcase.
- The court stipulated that Matsebula must complete twenty years of prison term before she becomes eligible for parole.
At the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, woman sentenced to 30 years for murder after being convicted of kidnapping and murdering four-year-old Keeya Mbulawa in Protea Glen Soweto.
Nonhlelelwa Matsebula received a minimum 20-year prison term by the court on Wednesday despite her Swati national origin.
Prosecutor Phindi Mjonondwane of National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Gauteng stated Matsebula admitted guilty to the criminal deeds she faced.
Child lured and suffocated
Matsebula joined the kids at that yard on January 13 2024 to abduct Keeya specifically for the purpose of obtaining money from her parents.
The child received juice containing medicinal tablets before Matsebula applied a cable around her neck and inserted a sock in her mouth.
Matsebula tried to put Keeya in a suitcase until she became noticed by the girl’s mother Nolukhanyo Mbulawa who was looking for her child.
The fear of exposure caused Matsebula to leave behind the suitcase and run away. The girl passed away through suffocation on January 17, 2024 mainly because of the cable tie used for restraint.
Matsebula managed to avoid arrest for more than two weeks before South African authorities caught her on January 29th 2024 after her image spread across social media platforms.
Killer admits guilt
Mjonondwane reported that the defendant confessed about the crime and admitted both the unlawfulness and wrongfulness of her actions, hence the woman sentenced to 30 years for murder
The case has produced public anger because the prosecuting attorney focused on the disturbing nature of the act while stressing the requirement for powerful punishment.
