Till death do us part: Wife gets life for plotting teacher husband’s murder
Fezile’s wife, 38-year-old Halimmah Thamando Mnyobisi, was convicted alongside three co-accused for the premeditated murder of the 35-year-old teacher.
Till death do us part took on a chilling meaning in the Free State High Court, where the wife of slain Botshabelo teacher Fezile Mnyobisi was sentenced to life imprisonment for orchestrating his murder.
Fezile’s wife, 38-year-old Halimmah Thamando Mnyobisi, was convicted alongside three co-accused for the premeditated murder of the 35-year-old teacher.
The National Prosecuting Authority said Fezile, a teacher at Refihlile Primary School, was taken to hospital by his wife on 15 September 2023, where he was declared dead on arrival.
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A post-mortem later revealed he had suffered more than 30 stab wounds to his upper body.
Police investigations uncovered that the killing was a contract murder and that those involved had been paid to carry it out.
The investigation led to the arrest of Vusimuzi Daniel Nqele (43), Moeketsi Innocent Manko (35), Abdool Rahman Thamando (35), who is Fezile’s brother-in-law, and eventually Halimmah herself.
Police later tracked Halimmah to a luxury residential complex in Sandton, where she had allegedly been hiding with her boyfriend after evading arrest.
During the trial, the State presented cellphone and vehicle tracking evidence linking all four accused to the murder.
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The court found the murder had been carefully planned and that the accused showed no remorse.
In sentencing, the court said Fezile had been betrayed by the very person expected to protect him.
Nqele, Manko and Halimmah were each sentenced to life imprisonment, while Abdool Rahman Thamando was sentenced to 20 years’ direct imprisonment.
