Police Sergeant Sentenced to 17 Years for Murdering Husband After Sangoma Visit
A South African police officer has been handed a 17-year direct imprisonment sentence for the brutal murder of her husband. The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria delivered the verdict against police sergeant Kate Lindwe Hlongwane, aged 47, for the premeditated killing of her spouse, Russel Hlongwane, 40, who was also the father of their three children.
Details of the Crime and Investigation
Hlongwane, who was stationed at the Dube police station in Pretoria under the visible policing unit, committed the act following a confrontation about her visit to a sangoma, or traditional healer. According to Lumka Mahanjana, the Gauteng regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), evidence presented in court revealed that on January 27, 2024, Hlongwane visited a sangoma in Soshanguve IN Block JJ.
Her husband was alerted by the vehicle tracker that the family car was in a high-risk area. He then drove to the location and discovered Hlongwane consulting with the sangoma. After instructing her to return home, they each drove back separately to their residence in Soshanguve Extension 7.
Later that night, when Russel arrived home, he confronted his wife about the visit, leading to an argument. Russel told Kate that he would take her to his parents' house so she could "learn discipline." The couple began loading Kate's clothes into their vehicle and drove off together.
The Fatal Shooting and Aftermath
A few minutes later, in the early hours of the morning, the couple returned home, where Hlongwane shot her husband multiple times with her service pistol. Upon hearing the car return and subsequent gunshots, the family's domestic worker went outside to investigate.
"She then met the policewoman, who ignored her when she asked about her husband's whereabouts," said Mahanjana. The helper continued to search and found the deceased lying on the ground outside their gate, bleeding profusely next to a neighbor's house. A neighbor, who also heard the gunshots, rushed the victim to Akasia Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Hlongwane was arrested the next day, and the case was referred to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) for investigation. In court, she pleaded not guilty, claiming the firearm discharged accidentally during a struggle with her husband.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
However, advocate Vhungani Khoza for the State presented expert ballistic evidence that contradicted her version. The ballistic expert, trained in distance determination and wound analysis, testified that the shots were fired from a distance, disproving Hlongwane's claim and proving the State's case beyond a reasonable doubt.
During sentencing proceedings, Hlongwane, through her legal representative, requested leniency, citing that she is a first-time offender, a mother of three minor children, and had been in custody since her arrest. Khoza argued for a sentence that would send a strong message to society, submitting that Hlongwane showed no remorse and had committed a serious act of domestic violence, a crime prevalent in the country.
Khoza added that as a trained police official, she used her service firearm to shoot and kill her husband multiple times. The incident also caused deep division between the two families, resulting in her family not attending the husband's funeral.
In his judgment, Judge Papi Mosopa agreed that Hlongwane had not demonstrated remorse, noting that she had not apologized to the deceased's family even after conviction. Although the court deviated from the prescribed minimum sentence, the judge said the sentence was intended both to punish the offender and to send a clear message that conflicts must be resolved lawfully and respectfully, without resorting to violence.
