13/12/2025
*Media Statement issued by the Office of the Provincial Commissioner in Mpumalanga*
For Immediate Release
To All Media
*MAN SENTENCED TO 18 YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR MURDER AND ATTEMPTED MURDER*
*Nelspruit: 13 December 2025* - The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, has welcomed the 28 years imprisonment handed down to Khutullo Sipho Sekgobela (27) for murder and attempted murder.
The sentencing was delivered by the Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela on Thursday, 11 December 2025, following a thorough investigation of the case.
The court heard how the incident occurred on 07 April 2023 around 22h00 when four individuals (two males with their female friends) were coming from a certain tarven at Gamureku in Acornhoek, and these were Sekgobela, Jetro Mashile (40) as well as their female friends, one being 18 years old at the time.
Sekgobela is said to have assaulted his female friend. When Mashile tried to intervene, he was brutally stabbed on the chest with a knife. He then became unconscious. Mashile's female friend was also stabbed in the arm during the incident. The injured victims were transported to a local hospital but sadly, Mashile died in the hospital.
A case was opened and investigated by the Police. Sekgobela was traced and arrested in the Gauteng Province on 28 October 2024. He was charged for murder and attempted murder. He was convicted and sentenced as follows:
On Count 01 of murder, Sekgobela was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
On Count 02 of attempted murder, the accused was sentenced to 03 years imprisonment. The sentences will run concurrently.
The accused was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, commended the collaborative efforts displayed by the Investigation team, the Prosecution team, and the Judiciary, which led to this well-deserved sentence.
Ends.
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