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Masingita Chavani, photographed during a previous appearance in the Thohoyandou High Court. Photo: Elmon Tshikhudo.

Chavani sentenced: Hlulani's body still not found

 

Former Malamulele traffic officer Masingita Chavani (46) is serving a heavy sentence in prison, but the body of her 17-year-old victim, Hlulani Maswanganyi, has still not been found.

Chavani was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and 20 years for kidnapping in the High Court in Thohoyandou on 26 January.

The sentencing came after a long trial, following an incident that occurred on 10 October 2015, when the mother of a one-month-old boy went missing after Chavani had invited them to her place for a sleep-over, promising to buy clothes for the baby the next day.

Last year the co-accused, Steven Sithole, confessed to the murder and was sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment in the High Court.

The victim's family spokesperson, Mr Wilson Mahlawule, said the family was happy with the sentence, but they still did not have the remains of their daughter. "It is painful; we are in pain." He said that they did not know what they would tell her son when he grew up.

"At least if there was a grave to show him where his mother is, that would help."

Mahlawule described Chavani as a person who has a heart of stone. "She didn't tell us where our daughter is. At least her co-accused, Sithole, told the court what happened to our daughter and that they killed her."

The deceased's son is now about three years old and is staying with his maternal grandmother.

Mahlawule said that the community members havd been very helpful, and they were contributing a lot financially to the raising of Hlulani's child as his grandparents are not working.

Provincial Commissioner Lt-Gen Nneke Ledwaba and the management have welcomed the sentence and said that they hoped that it would serve as a clear message to criminals that no stone would be left unturned until their crimes were revealed.

 

Date:09 February 2018

By: Maanda Bele

Maanda  Bele, born and raised in Nzhelele Siloam, studied journalism at the Tshwane University of Technology.

He is passionate about current news and international affairs.

He worked as part of the Zoutnet team as an intern in 2017.

He is currently a freelance journalist specialising in news from the Vhembe district.

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