By Staff Reporter
POLOKWANE – The Limpopo Division of the High Court sitting in Polokwane has convicted and sentenced Lunghani Mhlongo (30) of Dan Village in Tzaneen to a cumulative 72 years’ imprisonment for the murder of his partner and their eight-month-old baby.
Mhlongo was sentenced to 60 years’ imprisonment for two counts of murder, five years for defeating the ends of justice, and seven years for arson. The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of 25 years’ direct imprisonment.
The conviction follows a plea and sentence agreement in terms of Section 105A of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977. In his plea, Mhlongo admitted that the deceased, Hope Nkuna (23), was his partner and that they lived together at his parental home in Dan Village with their eight-month-old child.
On 15 September 2024, following an argument, Mhlongo assaulted Nkuna while she was carrying their baby. During the assault, she collided with a table and the infant sustained injuries. He further admitted to throttling Nkuna until she became unresponsive. Upon checking the baby, he found the child also unresponsive.
Twelve days later, after a relative detected a foul smell coming from the house, Mhlongo set the RDP house alight in an attempt to conceal the bodies. He fled the scene but was later apprehended after community members alerted police.
The tragic incident left the Nkuna family devastated. The funeral of the eight-month-old baby, Life Muhluri Nkuna, was initially put on hold as forensic personnel worked to identify the remains, which were severely burnt in the fire.
Nkuna also leaves behind a seven-year-old daughter.
The court’s ruling brings legal closure to the matter, but the emotional impact on the family and community of Dan Village remains profound.
