Sne Masuku

Sne Masuku

A grade 11 Mnyakanya High School pupil was yesterday sentenced to 15 years in prison for murdering his older lover.

A Mtunzini magistrate sentenced Gangagabantu Dlamini, 21, a week after he confessed to shooting Lamulile Mbambo, 25, in the head and then raping her lifeless body.

Dlamini told the court he fell into a rage when his girlfriend told him she wanted to end their relationship and he felt he had no choice but to kill her.

Police had also arrested two men found with the murder weapon on suspicion of having been involved in the killing.

They were released after Dlamini told officers that he had asked the suspects to hide the gun for him.

Mbambo disappeared on Sunday last week. Her body was discovered the next day under trees in the veld at Mamba Reserve.

She had been shot on a gravel road and her body had been dragged 100m to where it was found by her sister, Ncamisile.

Spokesman Jay Naicker said the police had been able to crack the case quickly because Dlamini had cooperated with investigators.

But he felt Dlamini had "got off lightly" for the kind of crime he committed.

"The magistrate must have taken into consideration that Dlamini did not waste anyone's time, confessed to the crime and cooperated with police," said Naicker.

Mbambo's sister Ncamisile said the family was grateful the body had been found and that the killer had been caught and brought to book.