Nompumelelo Goncalves, who has been convicted of murdering her fiancé, Transnet engineer Nkosi Langa, in September 2020, has asked Langa’s family to forgive her.
This came out during the sentencing arguments in the Durban high court on Monday when Goncalves’s advocate Mandla Luthuli pleaded with the court for mercy.
“She [Goncalves] had has just written to me a letter this morning. In it she writes that she has met herself and reconciled with her actions,” said Luthuli.
The letter reads: “Tell them [Langa’s family] that I am very sorry. I was not intending for anybody to be killed. I acknowledge that my actions are bad.”
Luthuli said his client’s spell at the Westville correctional centre had also forced her to reflect on her actions.
Langa was kidnapped from his Hampshire Place home in Pinetown on September 29 2020 by Goncalves' brother, Nkosinathi Steve Zungu, and hitman James “Ramaphosa” Mthimkhulu. His body was found in a forest in Ozwathini on November 13 that year. His Isuzu X-rider was also taken.
Mthimkhulu pleaded guilty and turned state witness.
In April, acting high court judge Bonke Dumisa convicted Goncalves and Zungu on a raft of charges including murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice.
The prosecutor, advocate Krishen Shah, argued that the letter by Goncalves was not genuine.
Court to sentence sister, brother for murder of Transnet engineer
Image: Supplied
Nompumelelo Goncalves, who has been convicted of murdering her fiancé, Transnet engineer Nkosi Langa, in September 2020, has asked Langa’s family to forgive her.
This came out during the sentencing arguments in the Durban high court on Monday when Goncalves’s advocate Mandla Luthuli pleaded with the court for mercy.
“She [Goncalves] had has just written to me a letter this morning. In it she writes that she has met herself and reconciled with her actions,” said Luthuli.
The letter reads: “Tell them [Langa’s family] that I am very sorry. I was not intending for anybody to be killed. I acknowledge that my actions are bad.”
Luthuli said his client’s spell at the Westville correctional centre had also forced her to reflect on her actions.
Langa was kidnapped from his Hampshire Place home in Pinetown on September 29 2020 by Goncalves' brother, Nkosinathi Steve Zungu, and hitman James “Ramaphosa” Mthimkhulu. His body was found in a forest in Ozwathini on November 13 that year. His Isuzu X-rider was also taken.
Mthimkhulu pleaded guilty and turned state witness.
In April, acting high court judge Bonke Dumisa convicted Goncalves and Zungu on a raft of charges including murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice.
The prosecutor, advocate Krishen Shah, argued that the letter by Goncalves was not genuine.
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“It’s not contrite, it’s not remorseful. It is rather too little too late. The letter is addressed to her counsel and not to the court. What do you say about a letter written one minute to midnight?” said Shah.
He questioned why Goncalves has never shown remorse to Langa’s family, who have been present throughout the trial.
Shah said the murder was an ultimate crime which befitted a sentence of life imprisonment.
Luthuli said Goncalves, 31, was an honours graduate who tutored young nursing students and was a first-time offender.
“I don’t see her repeating what she did. She is a suitable candidate for rehabilitation. We should not slaughter her at the altar for not taking the court into her confidence. We are no longer at a trial stage I implore the court to use these submissions that I am making,” said Luthuli.
Zungu’s attorney, Jabulisa Malinga, said his client, 40, had reached grade 11 and has one previous conviction of theft in 2001. This was rejected by Shah, who said Zungu had three previous convictions.
Malinga said Zungu is also a father of three children born between 2014 and 2019, who receive child support grants. Before his arrest Zungu held jobs in carpentry earning between R5,000 and R6,000 per month.
Dumisa adjourned the matter to Tuesday when he will hand down sentence.
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