The Limpopo Division of the High Court sitting in Polokwane, South Africa has doomed a 30- time-old man, Lunghani Mhlongo, to a accretive 72 times imprisonment for the m8rder of his mate and their eight- month-old baby.
Mhlongo was doomed to 60 times’ imprisonment for two counts of m8rder, five times’ imprisonment for defeating the ends of justice, and seven times’ imprisonment for wildfire.
The National Prosecuting Authority( NPA) in a statement on Thursday, February 12, 2026 said the court ordered the rulings to run coincidently, performing in an effective judgment of 25 times’ direct imprisonment.
The indicted entered into a plea and judgment agreement in terms of Section 105A of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977.
In his plea, Mhlongo admitted that the departed, Hope Nkuna, was his mate. They abided together at his maternal home and participated an eight- month-old child.
On 15 September 2024, following an argument, he assaulted Nkuna while she was carrying the baby on her reverse. During the assault, she
collided with a table, which struck the minor child on the head.
He also continued to assault her by strangling her until she came unresponsive. Upon checking the baby, he set up the child also unresponsive.
After the incident, Mhlongo went to another family's house within the same yard. Twelve days latterly, he asked his family to help him in moving a bed from his RDP house.
The family detected a strong odour expiring from the house and advised the family. stewing that the bodies would be discovered, Mhlongo set the house alight in an attempt to conceal the substantiation.
He fled the scene later. Community members advised the police, and he was latterly restrained.
In aggravation of judgment , State Advocate Patrick Magoda submitted that the soberness of the offences was compounded by the indicted’s conduct after the murders.
“ The deliberate setting alight of the lodging constituted a serious offence of wildfire, posing a peril to property and the girding community, ” the statement read.
" The attempt to conceal the crimes further amounted to defeating the administration of justice and undermining the proper functioning of the felonious justice system.
" The State further submitted that society has a compelling interest in the protection of vulnerable persons, particularly women and children, and in the establishment commination of domestic violence and conduct aimed at gumming justice.
" Murder remains one of the most serious offences in South African law, as it involves the unlawful and purposeful taking of mortal life and strikes at the core of the indigenous right to life and security.
“ The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the judgment . ”
Director of Public executions in Limpopo, Adv. Ivy Thenga emphasised that the value of mortal life can not be exaggerated.
She affirmed that the NPA will continue to pursue similar matters roundly to insure responsibility and serve as a interference to would- be malefactors.
Thenga also confided Advocate Magoda and all stakeholders involved in securing the conviction.
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