A case of jealousy and vengeance ended in the Thabazimbi Regional Court this week, as Mathews Ballantine Chinyaka was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the brutal murder of 20-year-old Titus David Shihlangu.
The court heard that on the night of May 13, 2023, at Both's squatter camp in Thabazimbi, Limpopo, Shihlangu was with his girlfriend, unaware that danger lurked outside.
Chinyaka, driven by jealousy over his ex-girlfriend’s new relationship, took a sinister step - he doused their shack with flammable liquid, forcing the victim to step outside to check what was happening.
"The accused suddenly poured the victim with that flammable liquid and set him alight," said police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.
Shihlangu’s girlfriend managed to escape, but he was left with severe burn wounds. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he died from his injuries.
For months, Chinyaka evaded capture, but his luck ran out when Hoopdal police arrested him for possession of stolen copper cables.
Further investigations linked him to the murder, and he was denied bail as his trial progressed.
"The accused made several court appearances at Thabazimbi Regional Court with no bail granted until he was found guilty and sentenced on Monday, February 3," said Ledwaba.
Chinyaka received 15 years for murder and an additional 12 months for contravening the Immigration Act, though the second sentence will run concurrently with the first.
Welcoming the sentencing, Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, emphasised its significance, saying that the court outcome will serve as a lesson to other would-be criminals.
IOL NEWS