THEY thought they could close this painful chapter of their lives when the judge handed down the sentence. Eight months after pregnant Tshegofatso Pule was found hanging from a tree with a gunshot wound to her chest, Muzikayise Malephane was given 20 years in jail for his hand in her gruesome murder.
Her family should be celebrating a new life – the baby girl Tshegofatso had so looked forward to welcoming. Instead they have nothing but ongoing pain and trauma.
The man who pulled the trigger may be behind bars but now they have a new ordeal to face: the man Tshegofatso loved, the father of her baby, was arrested too – almost as soon as Malephane was sentenced.
The family suspected there was more to her disappearance when she went missing in June last year, but they had no proof.
“We could only live in hope that time would tell,” says her uncle, Tumisang Katake. “At least the truth will finally come out now.”
Malephane pleaded guilty to murder, obstruction of justice and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
In his plea agreement, he told the court Tshegofatso’s boyfriend was the mastermind behind her murder.
Ntuthuko Shoba allegedly paid Malephane R70 000 to kill Tshegofatso because he didn’t want his fiancée to find out about their unborn child.
Harrowing details of the young woman’s last hours revealed how Malephane shot her in the chest then, in a panic, tried to make her death look like a suicide by putting a rope around her neck and hanging her body from a tree.
According to the family, they didn’t know 32-year-old Shoba was engaged to be married.
Bu hikaye YOU South Africa dergisinin 4 March 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye YOU South Africa dergisinin 4 March 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
HOW TO BE YOUR OWN THERAPIST
With more and more of us struggling with our mental health, here's a common-sense guide to coping with life's ups and downs
SPUD: THE MAGIC CONTINUES
John van de Ruit tells us why he decided to write a sequel - and shares how his first book helped him find enduring love
SEX CONTRACT GONE WRONG
A Cape Town couple have been charged with using a young woman as a sex slave-but some say she lost the job she signed up for and now has a grudge against them
LIAM LAID TO REST
More than a month after One Direction singer LIAM PAYNE (31) tragically fell to his death from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, his loved ones finally got to say their goodbyes.
SHILOH HANGS OUT
THE two young women look like any pair of good friends chatting and laughing as they leave their dance class in Los Angeles.
LEO IN LOVE
He's just turned 50 and it seems Leonardo DiCaprio may finally be ready to settle down
PACKING A PUNCH
Irish actor Paul Mescal beefed up for his role in the blockbuster epic Gladiator II - and fans are loving it
I DIDN'T CHOOSE TO BE A LOVE CHILD
As the illegitimate daughter of the king, she fought to be recognised as part of Belgium's royal family, but Princess Delphine says she still feels unwelcome
'I STILL HAVE NIGHTMARES'
A bite from a spitting cobra 13 years ago nearly killed her but Mikayla survived - and she's made peace with her scars
THE CLAWS ARE OUT!
Things have grown frosty between the Beckhams and the Sussexes as Becks comes out in clear support of William
