A woman and her lover who orchestrated the murder of her husband to benefit from his pension money have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Maluti regional court in the Eastern Cape.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said Vuyelwa Bhalawese had planned the murder of her husband, Gcobani Nyokana, in June last year.
“The motive for the murder was for the woman to access her husband’s pension and enjoy it with her boyfriend, Siyanda Majola. Bhalawese had an extramarital relationship with Majola, and they stayed in Matatiele, while the husband worked in Gauteng where he was due to retire at the age of 60,” Tyali said.
“The husband would send money for the maintenance of their home in the Lukholweni location, Eastern Cape, and sent R12,000 for the wife to buy sheep a few months before he was killed. When he returned home, he found the sheep had not been bought and started questioning his wife.”
Tyali said the duo was overheard by Bhalawese’s 17-year-old nephew while planning the murder.
“They were overheard saying his death would mean the wife, who did not have a child, would inherit his pension as he had been working for more than 30 years.”
On June 13 2022, Nyokana was attacked and killed in his home by Majola with the help of his brother. Bhalawase’s nephew managed to identify the assailants and they were arrested a few days after the murder.
“Majola and his brother, who turned state witnesses in terms of section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act, were arrested.”
Majola’s brother was granted immunity for helping the police solve the premeditated murder.
