Police Minister Bheki Cele has congratulated the investigators involved in the Tshegofatso Pule murder case.
Ntuthuko Shoba has been found guilty of Pule’s murder by the high court in Johannesburg.
The two had been in a relationship. Pule was murdered two years ago, while eight months pregnant.
Cele’s Spokesperson, Lirhandzu Themba says: “Police Minister General Bheki Cele has congratulated the detectives who worked on this case, saying this conviction must serve as a reminder for all police officers to always prioritise GBVF(Gender-Based Violence and Femicide ), saying it’s through vigorous dedicated detective work that has led us to this guilty verdict.”
Meanwhile, Pule’s family says there is no sentence that can replace her. The Johannesburg High Court on Friday found Shoba guilty of masterminding the death of pregnant Tshegofatso Pule in 2020.
He was implicated after convicted the hitman, Mzikayise Malepane, turned state witness. The eight-months pregnant Pule was hung from a tree in Roodepoort, west of Johannesburg, in 2020.
In handing down his verdict, Acting Judge Stuart Wilson said phone calls Shoba made to Malepane were for no other reason than to arrange Pule’s killing.
The judgment in Tshegofatso Pule’s case:
Malapane turned state witness. It was his word against Shoba’s, but Acting Judge Wilson relied on corroborative evidence to draw his final conclusion and reach a verdict.
“On evaluating the material evidence, in the first place, Shoba’s explanation for the dealings with Malepane may safely be rejected as false. It is denied by two witnesses whose credibility and reliability were never challenged, and by Malepane himself. I do not accept Shoba’s visits and telephone calls to Malepane were about the purchase of cigarettes. There is no evidence before that they were about anything other than arranging Pule’s death.”
