The police constable killed his wife and nearly killed her friend in October 2023.
Image: FILE
The Mpumalanga High Court has sentenced a former police officer to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife.
Former Constable Lucky Sandile Maduda, 34, attached to the Hazyview Public Order Policing (POP) Unit, was convicted of the murder of his wife and the attempted murder of her friend.
The incident took place on October 3, 2023.
According to evidence before the court, Maduda, his wife, Nonkululeko Mtsweni, and her colleagues were attending a birthday party at her place of work, the Zethu Bar Lounge in Barberton, on the day of the incident.
An argument broke out between the police officer and his wife, which resulted in him stabbing his wife with a broken alcohol bottle.
Mtsweni was declared dead at the scene and was transported to the local government mortuary. The cause of death was identified as multiple stab wounds.
Maduda also assaulted his wife’s friend, Veronica Sithole, by bashing her head against the wall and stabbing her in the neck with broken bottle pieces.
The matter was successfully investigated by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).
Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Suping said during the trial that Maduda pleaded guilty to the charges against him.
The court sentenced Maduda to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife and 10 years imprisonment for the attempted murder of her friend.
Maduda will effectively serve life in prison after the court ordered that the two sentences should run concurrently. The court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
“The family of Nonkululeko Mtsweni has expressed gratitude to Ipid for the manner in which they handled the case, as well as keeping them abreast of developments,” Suping said.
IOL