KZN man called Mxolisi Mvula was sentence to life after being found guilty for the murder of his girlfriend Ntombikayise Phindile Mkhize.

Mxolisi Mvula has received a life sentence from the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court for the murder of his girlfriend, Ntombikayise Phindile Mkhize, in a brutal attack that occurred in December 2022. The court found that Mvula violently bashed Mkhize’s head against a wall five to seven times, leading to her death. This incident took place in an unfinished house where Mkhize was present with a friend when Mvula arrived and insisted on speaking with her.

Despite Mkhize’s reluctance to engage with him, Mvula forcibly pulled her into another room. The friend, Sthembile Mkhize, heard Mkhize’s cries and entered the room to find Mvula assaulting her, with his hand on her neck. Following the assault, Mvula stomped on Mkhize’s head and face multiple times before fleeing the scene.

During the trial, Mvula claimed that he did not intend to kill Mkhize. However, the court determined that he had intended to cause her death, leading to his conviction. In sentencing, Magistrate Mohamed Motala stated that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances that warranted a deviation from the minimum life sentence, as outlined in the amended Domestic Violence Act, which mandates life imprisonment for murders occurring within domestic relationships.

Magistrate Motala described Mkhize as a young woman who had once given her heart to Mvula but was met with a “brutal” and “barbaric” attack instead. He pointed out that Mkhize, only 21 years old, was a mother to a three-year-old child, underscoring the tragedy of her death.

In his defense, Mvula presented his personal circumstances, including being unmarried, having lost a child the previous year, and having no prior convictions. He also highlighted his completion of high school but noted financial constraints had hindered further education. Despite these arguments, Magistrate Motala rejected them, stating that Mvula’s age did not mitigate the severity of his crime.

The magistrate emphasized that Mvula demonstrated no remorse for his actions, choosing to plead not guilty and refusing to accept responsibility. Ultimately, the court concluded that the gravity of the offense far outweighed any personal circumstances Mvula presented, resulting in the imposition of a life sentence.