Saturday, July 5, 2025 - The High Court sitting in Mpumalanga, South Africa has sentenced a 29-year-old man, Jabulani Nkosi to life imprisonment for the brutal m8rder of his pregnant girlfriend, Boitsoko Khoza, and an additional five years for arson.
Nkosi was convicted of m8rder and arson and sentenced on
Thursday, July 3, 2025.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Khoza
was last seen on 22 November 2023 by a friend. On the same day, she informed
her colleagues via WhatsApp that she would not be reporting for duty as she
intended to travel to her parental home in Mamelodi.
When she failed to arrive, her family attempted to contact
her friends and colleagues.
Her phone was off, and she was subsequently reported missing.
On the morning of 25 November 2023, her flatlet in Evander
was set alight. Members of the Govan Mbeki Fire Brigade responded and
extinguished the fire, only to discover her burned body inside the flat.
A post-mortem examination revealed that Khoza had been
severely assaulted, sustaining multiple rib fractures and stab wounds before
her body was set alight. It was also established that she was ten weeks
pregnant at the time of her d3ath.
Nkosi was arrested after confiding in friends about the
k!lling.
Senior State Advocate Themba Lusenga led compelling
evidence, including testimony from eyewitnesses, fire experts who investigated
the scene, and a local businessman who testified that the accused had sold him
the deceased’s cellphone for R650.
In aggravation of sentence, the court heard a Victim Impact
Statement from the deceased’s mother, detailing the emotional trauma and
devastating impact on the family.
The court found the murder to be brutal and inhumane.
Advocate Lusenga argued that the accused had shown no remorse and failed to
explain his actions.
The State also emphasised the prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV) in society and the aggravating factor that the deceased was pregnant at the time of her death.
The court sentenced Nkosi to Life imprisonment for murder and five years’ imprisonment for arson.
The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently, meaning
Nkosi will effectively serve life imprisonment. He was also declared unfit to
possess a firearm.
“The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the
sentence and expresses its satisfaction with the outcome. The NPA remains
steadfast in its commitment to ensuring justice for victims of gender-based
violence and supporting survivors and their families throughout the legal
process,” NPA added.
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