The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg sentenced a former police officer to life in prison for the murder of her husband.
- The Gauteng High Court has sentenced a former police officer to life in prison for the murder of her husband.
- Major General Thekiso Hendrik Mogoerane was assassinated in January 2018.
- Cordelia Mogoerane conspired with seven other people to kill her husband.
The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg sentenced a former police officer to life in prison on Friday for the murder of her husband.
Cordelia Mogoerane, a former Lieutenant General, hired people to kill Major General Thekiso Hendrik Mogoerane in January 2018.
Cordelia sedated Mogoerane and conspired with the group to kill him outside his home in Kempton Park.
According to Phindi Mjonondwane, a spokesperson for the NPA, Cordelia’s first attempt to kill Mogoerane was unsuccessful.
“Mogoerane was sedated by Cordelia, who then called the hitmen to come and take him away. But, upon arrival, they found that he was still awake and he slipped away unnoticed,” Mjonondwane said.
When he was unconscious, Cordelia called out the assassins, though one, Thokozani Zondo, backed down. But the others returned and loaded him into Cordelia’s vehicle.
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Another then drove to the crime scene. They strangled the officer and left him in the car.
Cordelia, who was first arrested in June 2018, along with seven other people, was linked to the murder through phone records.
Speaking about the contract killers, Mjonondwane said: “Musa Morris Mayisela was killed, while Bonisiwe Lukhele was shot outside Vosloorus police station as she went to fulfill her bail conditions.
“Three of the defendants were acquitted, while the state dropped the charges against Thokozani Zondo following investigations which revealed that he abandoned the conspiracy to assassinate Mogoerane,” Mjonondwane said.
Lead state’s attorney Carla Britz argued that the murder was premeditated and that Cordelia had never considered how it would affect her family.
Britz asked the court to ignore Cordelia’s claim that her husband abused her, because she did not provide evidence to the court.
“Investigating officer Captain Robert Mathebula of the East Rand Organized Crime Division and attorney Britz worked tirelessly to uncover the face behind Mogoerane’s murder. Because of their unwavering commitment to the fight for justice, the NPA Say hi,” Mjonondwane said.
