Key Points
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Penina Sambo sentenced to 30 years for murdering a child.
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Sambo confessed to killing the girl over a personal grudge.
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Court rejected plea for leniency despite her guilty plea.
A 38-year-old Mozambican woman, Penina Felipe Sambo, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison by the Pretoria High Court sitting in Benoni for the murder of three-year-old Melokuhle Ngwenya.
The sentencing took place on Wednesday, following Sambo’s guilty plea.
According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, the tragic incident occurred on April 3, 2024, in Ratanda.
Ngwenya had visited Sambo’s home to buy sweets. After the purchase, she sat with Sambo on the couch.
Moments later, Sambo strangled the child and disposed of her body in a recycle bin outside.
When Ngwenya did not return home, her mother reported her missing to the police. A search led officers to Sambo’s residence, where they discovered the child’s body in the bin. Sambo was arrested at the scene and has remained in custody since.
Motive rooted in personal vendetta
In her guilty plea, Sambo confessed to killing Ngwenya out of anger towards the child’s mother, whom she accused of having an affair with her boyfriend.
During sentencing, Sambo requested the court to consider her status as a first-time offender and her guilty plea as signs of remorse, seeking a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence.
However, prosecutor Advocate Sipho Lalani argued that the severity of the crime, especially involving a minor, warranted a strong sentence to send a clear message to society.
He emphasized that such offenses are prevalent in the court’s jurisdiction and have a profound impact on the victims’ families.
Court delivers firm judgment
Judge France Van Der Westhuizen acknowledged Sambo’s guilty plea but maintained that the nature of the crime required a substantial sentence.
While the law prescribes life imprisonment for such offenses, the judge deemed a 30-year sentence appropriate under the circumstances.
In addition to the murder charge, Sambo was also sentenced for being in South Africa illegally and was declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The case underscores the judiciary’s commitment to addressing serious crimes involving children and ensuring that justice is served.
