15 years for teen’s killer

The family of a Zwelitsha teenager slain by her policeman lover is gutted about his 15-year sentence.

Mandilakhe Mjele was found guilty in August, of killing his pregnant 17-year-old girlfriend Zanele Lombo in 2013.

He pleaded not guilty and did not testify in his own defence.

Acting Judge Carolyn Difford sentenced Mjele to 15 years’ imprisonment last week, a sentence criticised by the family.

Lombo’s aunt, Anelisa Nakani, told the Dispatch the family was deeply hurt by the sentence Difford imposed on Mjele.

“We are not happy; he was given a light sentence,” Nakani said.

“He was given the bare minimum for murder. It seems as though the judge considered his personal circumstances more than anything else.

“He never testified and so we will never know his side of the story or the exact details of the night.

“We know it will not bring her back, but having all the facts would have assisted in getting closure,” she said.

She said her brother, Lombo’s father, had never been the same since his daughter’s brutal murder.

Nakani praised prosecuting Advocate Deolin Willemse and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate for their efforts to secure a conviction, but felt Difford failed the family.

“She is a woman, this sentence was done during 16 days of activism against the abuse of women and children but that did not seem to matter.

“I think she should have emphasised that he was a police officer. He should have protected Zanele – instead, he was the perpetrator,” Nakani said.

“For the sake of the family and the community, he should have been given a heavier sentence.”

According to witnesses, Lombo – who had been in a relationship with Mjele for about a year – was seen and heard screaming while being assaulted by Mjele in a Toyota Avanza on November 12 2013.

The court heard that the assault was so violent that the vehicle rocked from side to side, while Lombo held her hands in front of her face to protect herself from the blows.

A day later, Lombo had not returned home even though she was due to write an exam.

Lombo’s body was found by Vuyani Somina at 5pm that day. During her postmortem, it was discovered that she was pregnant.

The family believes Mjele murdered her after she refused to have an abortion.

Dr Dominic John testified that Lombo had multiple external injuries, skull fractures, subdural bleeding and pale internal organs.

“Postmortem injuries were seen on the back of the body, buttocks and the back of her right upper thigh, indicating the body had been moved or dragged over a rough surface.”