Life imprisonment for man who murdered his son, 5, in Thembisa

The Johannesburg high court on Tuesday sentenced Ronald Ngobeni to life imprisonment for murdering his five-year-old son, Rivoningo Capu, in 2022. 

The court also sentenced Ngobeni, 29, to an additional two years for obstructing justice. The sentences will run concurrently.

Ngobeni has been in police custody since October 2022.

The police investigation revealed Ngobeni deceived his son's grandparents, promising to return the child after buying clothes, but instead he brutally murdered the boy on October 7 2022.

“The accused fabricated a story about leaving the child with a street vendor, but the vendor denied any involvement. The five-year-old's decomposed body was later discovered in a shallow grave with a fatal head injury,” said National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane.

The court found Ngobeni guilty of murder in June. 

Ngobeni testified in mitigation and pleaded for a lenient sentence, apologising to the court and to the mother of his son.

“However, senior state advocate Thami Mpekana successfully argued that Ngobeni's crime was premeditated and that he failed to provide a convincing explanation for his actions.” 

The state presented a victim impact statement from the mother, Emihle Capu, who described the devastating impact of her son's death on her life.

She revealed that her mother, the grandmother to the deceased, was eight months pregnant when her son was murdered and she lost the child due to the trauma and stress. 

“The NPA welcomes the life sentence handed down to Ronald Ngobeni, ensuring that justice has been served for the senseless murder of his innocent son,” Mjonondwane said. 

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