Friday, February 27, 2026 - A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his three-week-old infant son in Driekoppies, Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Sibusiso Patrick Shongwe was convicted in the High Court in
Mpumalanga for the k!lling of his baby boy in March 2023.
The court heard that Shongwe initially denied paternity when
the mother, Noluthando Mlambo, fell pregnant and urged her to terminate.
On the night of 1 March 2023, Shongwe arranged to meet
Mlambo and the baby, claiming he wanted to provide items for the child.
When they met on the street with the child's grandmother,
Shongwe sent the grandmother away.
Shortly afterwards, three unknown men accosted Mlambo,
allowing Shongwe to snatch the infant and flee.
The baby's body was discovered in bushes two days later.
A post-mortem revealed the child d!ed from sharp-force
injuries to the neck.
During the trial, Shongwe denied taking the child, but State
Advocate Senzo Zindela presented compelling evidence, including witness
testimony and a confession.
The court heard Shongwe had shown no remorse.
In sentencing, the judge noted the high levels of violent
crime in South Africa and the erosion of respect for human life.
Finding no substantial compelling circumstances to deviate
from the prescribed minimum sentence, the court imposed life imprisonment.
Shongwe was declared unfit to possess a firearm, and his
application for leave to appeal was dismissed.
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