Man sentenced to 25 years for brutal murder of partner, baby and hiding their bodies
Limpopo man sentenced to 25 years for the brutal murders of partner and baby.
Image: File
The Limpopo High Court in Polokwane has sentenced a 30-year-old man from Dan Village, Tzaneen, to an effective 25 years’ direct imprisonment for the murder of his partner and their eight-month-old baby.
Lunghani Mhlongo was convicted on two counts of murder, as well as charges of defeating the ends of justice and arson.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Mashudu Malabi said Mhlongo received 60 years for murder, five years for defeating the ends of justice, and seven years for arson. The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently, resulting in a cumulative sentence of 25 years.
Malabi said Mhlongo admitted that on September 15, 2024, following an argument, he assaulted his partner, Hope Nkuna, while she was carrying their baby on her back.
"During the assault, Nkuna collided with a table, causing the infant to strike their head. Mhlongo then throttled Nkuna until she became unresponsive and later discovered that the baby had also died," said Malabi.
Twelve days after the incident, Mhlongo asked his brother to help move a bed from his RDP house.
"A strong odour raised suspicion, and family members were alerted. Fearing discovery, Mhlongo set the house on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence before fleeing the scene. Community members reported the matter to police, leading to his arrest."
In aggravation of sentence, State Advocate Patrick Magoda told the court that Mhlongo’s actions after the murders — including setting the house alight — posed a serious danger to the community and amounted to an attempt to obstruct justice. He emphasised the need to protect vulnerable groups, particularly women and children, and to condemn domestic violence in the strongest terms.
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