The wife of a slain police officer was sentenced to life imprisonment for being the mastermind behind his killing.
Cordelia Mogoerane, the wife of Maj-Gen Thekiso Hendrik Mogoerane, appeared before the Johannesburg high court on Friday for sentencing.
In June 2018, she was arrested for the murder after cellphone records linked her to his killing. Eight other suspects were also arrested, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said.
Mogoerane had sedated her husband in January 2018 and called the hitmen to come take him.
But when they arrived, they found their target was still awake and fled without being noticed, NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said.
When the officer finally fell asleep, Mogoerane called the hitmen to return. One of them, Thokozani Zondo, decided to no longer join them.
“On arrival, they loaded Mogoerane into [one accused, Bonisiwe] Lukhele’s vehicle, while another accused drove Mogoerane’s car. They later strangled him and left him in his vehicle,” said Mjonondwane.
The police officer’s lifeless body was discovered along the P91 road in Kempton Park on January 17 2018. A post-mortem revealed he died from strangulation.
One of the accused, Musa Morris Mayisela, died before the matter was concluded, while Lukhele, who had driven the getaway vehicle, was gunned down outside the Vosloorus police station when she went to report as part of her bail conditions.
“Three of the [other] accused were acquitted while the state withdrew charges against Thokozani Zondo following investigations that revealed that he abandoned the conspiracy to murder [the officer],” Mjonondwane said.
The state argued Mogoerane had planned the murder over a period of time and had no regard for how his death would affect his family.
Senior state advocate Carla Britz asked the court not to consider claims by Mogoerane that she was abused by her husband, stating she had failed to substantiate such allegations in court.
“The investigating officer Capt Robert Mathebula from the East Rand organised crime division and advocate Britz worked tirelessly to uncover the face behind Mogoerane’s murder. For their unwavering commitment to the fight for justice, the NPA salutes them,” said Mjonondwane.
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