Justice has finally been served to the family of the Soweto woman brutally murdered by 29-year-old Nelisiwe Twala.
This comes after the Johannesburg High Court sentenced Twala to life in prison for the murder.
Nonhlakanipho Lukhozi was killed when Twala, with the assistance of co-perpetrator Xolani Mkhize, 45, forced her way into Lukhozi’s Soweto home in June 2019.
Lukhozi passed away at the age of 26.
Using a knife and a screwdriver, the two viciously attacked Lukhozi, slashing her in the face, neck, head, torso, and ribcage on numerous occasions.
Twala committed a heinous act against Lukhozi, immersing her face in boiling water, then disposing of her lifeless and nude body in a wheelie bin and dumping it in a nearby field.
Victim’s child kidnapped
In addition to killing Lukhozi, the pair kidnapped her young child and attempted to hide their actions by cleaning up the scene and removing any evidence.
They received a five-year sentence extension for kidnapping the minor child and an 18-month sentence for defeating the ends of justice.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) claims that the pair presented the three-month-old infant to Twala’s family as their own.
Mkhize was captured and found guilty in 2019, but Twala escaped arrest until October 5, 2022.
Initially, Twala entered a not guilty plea in court; however, she later changed her plea to guilty following the testimony of her co-accused, who was called as a state witness.
The court denied Twala’s plea, stating that she had put her personal interests first and tried to use the legal system to evade responsibility, according to NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane.
Holding perpetrators accountable
Matshidiso Phatlanyane, a senior state advocate, emphasised the difficulties in dealing with co-perpetrators and their tendency to retract testimony.
“The successful conviction of Twala underscores the commitment of the NPA to combat gender-based violence and human trafficking,” Phatlanyane stated.
“This case serves as a sobering reminder of the devastating impacts of such heinous acts on victims and their families.
“The NPA will continue to hold perpetrators accountable for their crimes.”
