Father of murdered 'Pastry Princess' chef expresses disappointment over lenient sentence
Sibusiso Zitha sentenced to 15 years for the murder of 'Pastry Princess' Thembekile Letlape.
Image: File
Dr Kgosi Letlape, the father of Thembekile Letlape expressed disappointment in court on Friday after his daughter's killer, Sibusiso Zitha was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
"For me, it means he was not found guilty because, despite pleading guilty, he got the minimum sentence," said the ActionSA MP. "That's effectively being not found guilty. It means if there was a choice, he would have walked."
Letlape showed a t-shirt he was wearing. "We're wearing these t-shirts saying justice for Thembe but, she got no justice."
Zitha, 41, was convicted of the murder of Letlape, the well-known 'Pastry Princess' chef, in July this year.
The pair, who had been in a relationship and shared a home in Fourways, Gauteng became embroiled in a heated argument on May 30, 2024.
While Letlape was preparing a meal, Zitha launched a violent attack in front of his 10-year-old daughter, stabbing her multiple times in the face and chest. She died from her injuries at the scene.
During his testimony in mitigation of sentence at the Johannesburg High Court on Thursday, Zitha reflected on the support he had once received from Letlape's family. He told the court that they had been generous and welcoming.
"They gave us support; I spent a lot of time with them individually, I took walks with her father, and I enjoyed talking to him," Zitha said.
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