A 33-year-old man who brutally robbed and killed a street vendor has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Prince Hlangoma Chauke was sentenced this week in the North Gauteng High court in Pretoria.
He was found guilty of robbing and killing Mamatlou Salome Mashiloane in December 2021.
Explaining the merits of the case, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the deceased was a street vendor in Mamelodi where Chauke was selling cigarettes on the streets.
“On December 9, 2021, the deceased went with Chauke to his home in Cullinan on the pretext that he wanted her to view the furniture that he was selling.
“On arrival at his residence, Chauke robbed the deceased of her phone, R8,000 cash and her vehicle, a Nissan NP200.”
Chauke then killed Mashiloane and dumped her body in the veld in Hartbeespoort.
“On the same day, Chauke used the vehicle to transport his children to Limpopo where he later sold the vehicle.”
He was arrested about two months later on February 4, 2022, “after he was pointed out to the police by the man he had sold the car to“.
The NPA said Chauke pleaded with the courts to be lenient in their sentencing, as he was a first-time offender.
“The State argued that Chauke showed no remorse for the crimes he committed and the offence was serious.”
Judge Rochelle Francis-Subbiah said Chauke abused the deceased’s trust.
He was also sentenced to 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances.
IOL News