A 23-year-old Mpumalanga man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder and robbery of 27-year-old medical doctor Mthunzi Zwane in July 2023.
Zwane was stabbed, robbed and pushed into a river after leaving a tavern.
Clement Njabulo Nhlabathi was sentenced by the Elukwatini Regional Court after pleading guilty to murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Zwane was attacked after visiting Stars Local Tavern in Nhlazatshe 1, Elukwatini, to buy alcohol on July 6, 2023.
According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Mpumalanga regional spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, Zwane was spotted at the tavern by a group of men.
“As he left the premises, the group followed him,” Nyuswa said.
The court heard that when Zwane reached a nearby bridge, the group attacked him, produced a knife and repeatedly stabbed him while demanding his bank card and PIN.
Zwane handed over his bank card and PIN.
“When the accused realised that he was no longer breathing, they pushed his body into the river, where he drowned,” Nyuswa said.
The group then returned to the tavern and repeatedly used Zwane’s bank card to buy alcohol until the transaction limit was reached before discarding the card.
His body was discovered the following day.
Police investigations led to the arrest of the accused, and one of them later pointed out where Zwane’s bank card had been discarded.
Nhlabathi was initially charged alongside Lwazi Panel Motha, 22, Sakhile Siphamandla Nkosi, 23, Nthatheng Hopewell Makhanya, 22, and Nkosenhle Prince Masina, 24.
Nyuswa said the four co-accused pleaded not guilty, prompting the State to successfully apply for a separation of trials.
During his trial, Nhlabathi pleaded guilty and admitted in his plea explanation that his actions were unlawful and punishable by law. He was subsequently convicted on both charges.
In mitigation of sentence, the defence argued that Nhlabathi had pleaded guilty, shown remorse and had not wasted the court’s time. It asked the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
However, State prosecutor Mxolisi Biyela argued that the guilty plea was motivated not by genuine remorse but by the overwhelming evidence against the accused, including eyewitness testimony, a confession and evidence obtained through a pointing-out during the investigation.
The State also argued that the crime had devastated not only Zwane’s family but the wider Elukwatini community.
The prosecution further emphasised that Zwane was a young, qualified medical doctor with a promising future and urged the court to impose the prescribed sentence to reflect the seriousness of the offences, protect society and deter violent offenders.
A victim impact statement, compiled by Zwane’s sister with the assistance of court preparation officer Nondumiso Thwala, was presented to the court.
In the statement, she said she and her brother had lost both their parents and that he had been her only remaining immediate family member.
She described the profound emotional and financial hardship she had endured following his death, explaining that she had relied on him for financial support and that their shared dream of building a family home had been destroyed.
Before sentencing, the court highlighted the extreme seriousness and brutality of the offences and Nhlabathi’s active role in committing them.
The court found there were no substantial and compelling circumstances to justify a departure from the prescribed minimum sentence.
Nhlabathi was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and an additional 15 years’ direct imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The criminal proceedings against the remaining four accused were postponed to Sept. 29, 2026, in the same court.
The NPA in Mpumalanga welcomed the sentence, saying it reflected the gravity of the offences and underscored the justice system’s commitment to holding violent offenders accountable.
“The NPA remains steadfast in its pursuit of justice for victims of violent crime and commends State Prosecutor Mxolisi Biyela, the investigating team, Court Preparation Officer Nondumiso Thwala and all other role players whose collective efforts secured this conviction and sentence,” Nyuswa said.
IOL News
Simon Majadibodu
iol.co.za
