Sosha killer couple convicted

By Everson Luhanga

  • A couple killed the wife’s ex-partner and pretended it was the husband who died to claim insurance money.
  • The truth came out when the “dead” husband was caught driving a stolen car months after his funeral.

It was a typical case of a perfect murder that went wrong for a Pretoria couple, as the husband who attended “his funeral” has been convicted alongside his wife.

Sibusiso Mahlangu and his wife, Lerato Mahlangu, have been convicted of the murder of Lerato’s former partner, Sibusiso Sithebe. The couple were found guilty of premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and three counts of fraud.

The Pretoria High Court convicted the Soshanguve couple, Sibusiso Mahlangu, 34, and Lerato Mahlangu, 33, of these crimes.

Before marrying Sibusiso Mahlangu, Lerato had been in a romantic relationship with Sithebe, with whom she shares a minor child. On 2 January 2022, the Mahlangu couple lured Sithebe to their home in Soshanguve, where they killed him. 

They then staged the scene by placing Sibusiso Mahlangu’s ring on the deceased’s finger, dressing him in Mahlangu’s clothing, and burning the body inside the house.

A body was discovered in the remains of a house fire in Tshwane. The house belonged to the Mahlangus, and the body was wearing Mahlangu’s wedding ring. 

It appeared to be a straightforward case: Mahlangu had perished in the fire, and his funeral was held eight days later.

However, Mahlangu was not in the coffin. He was walking among his loved ones who had gathered to mourn his death. The man in the coffin was Sithebe.

Lerato later pretended to have just arrived from Kwa-Mhlanga in Mpumalanga after being informed about the fire. Upon arrival, she falsely identified the body as that of her husband, Sibusiso Mahlangu, to the police. Sithebe’s family was unable to identify the deceased at the scene.

Lerato then submitted three fraudulent insurance claims with Old Mutual, where she worked as a sales consultant. On 6 January 2022, she lodged claims totalling R575,000: life cover (R500,000), funeral cover (R25,000), and a death benefit (R50,000).

The scheme unravelled when Sibusiso Mahlangu was arrested on 18 April 2023 for possession of a stolen car in Hammanskraal. During his arrest and subsequent processing, authorities discovered that he had been officially registered as deceased. Lerato was arrested two days later, on 20 April 2023.

Sithebe was reburied on 22 August 2023 by his family.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said that in court, the couple pleaded not guilty to the charges and denied involvement in the crimes.

“The State, led by Advocate Vusumuzi Tshabalala, presented compelling evidence and called credible witnesses, including Sibusiso Mahlangu’s mother. She testified about events leading up to the funeral and how they were unable to view the body at close range because of Covid-19 regulations, which reinforced their belief that indeed they were burying her son.”

Judge Papi Masopa, in his judgment, found that though the State relied on circumstantial evidence, it was able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. The judge also found the State’s witnesses to be credible and reliable.

The case has been postponed to 22 November 2024 for a provisional sentencing date.

Pictured above: Sibusiso and Lerato Mahlangu inside Soshanguve Magistrates courts on Tuesday where they were convicted for killing Sibusisi Sithebe.

Source: NPA

spot_imgspot_imgspot_imgspot_img

Recent articles