Man accused of slaying girlfriend dies in prison

A 51-year-old murder suspect, Shonisani Godfrey Muleya, who was arrested for allegedly killing his girlfriend on 17 February 2024, was buried at Muswodi Tshisimani last Saturday (22 June).

Muleya was accused of hacking Mpho Grace Thiba (40) to death at her house in Muswodi Tshisimani village. At the time of her death, Thiba, a mother of six, worked as part of the nutrition staff at Ratshibvumo High School.

One of the villagers who attended the funeral, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said very few people attended Muleya’s funeral as most of the villagers were protesting against gender-based violence in the Vhembe District. “It was attended by members of the family and close friends. I only attended because he was my wife’s relative; otherwise, I would not have attended myself,” he said.

According to information supplied by the Department of Correctional Services, Muleya died at Donald Fraser Hospital on Saturday, 15 June. He was taken to the hospital after he had complained that he was not feeling well.

According to the acting communications manager of the police in Vhembe District, W/O Vuledzani Dathi, Thiba was allegedly killed for answering the phone when they were sleeping. “According to the information we received, the couple were asleep when the cellphone of the deceased rang, and she answered it. After the call, her boyfriend allegedly started to accuse her of having an affair, and a heated argument ensued between them. That’s when the suspect allegedly took a panga [knife] and chopped her all over her body, and she died instantly,” Dathi said.

Date:27 June 2024

By: Victor Mukwevho

Victor Mukwevho Ne-vumbani joined the Mirror during it's inception in 1990. He joined the SABC newsroom in 1995, and was known by  listeners as "A u fhedzisela ari". He was a news editor for The Tembisan Newspaper from 2007 to 2015. He rejoined the Limpopo Mirror newspaper in June 2022 as a freelance journalist.

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