By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The pre-sentencing arguments in Johannesburg have been cited as the reason for the postponement of the proceedings at the Johannesburg High Court where Ntuthuko Shoba was expected to be sentenced for the murder of Tshegofatso Pule.
In March, Shoba was convicted of plotting the the murder of Tshegofatso Pule, his estranged lover at the time. Pule, who was pregnant, was found hanging from a tree in the veld in Roodepoort.
Shoba was connected to the crime by Muzikayise Malephane, who confessed that he was hired to kill Pule.
Sentencing was due to take place in May but was postponed when Shoba argued that the pre-sentencing report was incomplete.
Acting judge Stuart Wilson told the court on Thursday that he will deliver the sentence on Friday.
Defence lawyer Norman Makhubele argued that Shoba, a former JSE analyst, should not be subjected to a life sentence, suggesting that a 20-year jail sentence would be appropriate.
All this while the GBV Brigade, church congregants, and Pule’s family sat patiently and waited for the verdict.
Speaking to the media, the GBV Brigade expressed concern over the delay and called on the judge to whip Shoba with a life sentence or two. The group said anything less than a life sentence would be an injustice to Pule and her family.
“He does not deserve one or two life sentences; he deserves to rot in jail. Let him rot in there,” said an angry protestor.
Pule, then 28, was found riddled with gunshots and hanging from a tree in Durban Deep in Roodepoort, Johannesburg in 2020.
Livestream Video Below.
Video Courtesy of ENCA.