“This is probably my last chance to speak. Yesterday I went back to my cell and prayed to God for wisdom to do things right.
“It is me who has committed the crime. It is me and I am truly sorry.”
These were the words of Sibusiso Mahlangu, 34, who along with his wife Lerato Mahlangu, 33, from Soshanguve had been convicted of murder and fraud charges in November last year, after killing a man and pretending it was Sibusiso who had died to cash in on insurance money.
In a lengthy trial, the pair had denied everything, but on Tuesday before he was due to be sentenced, Sibusiso decided to confess all following a “talk with God” in his cell on Monday.
The Gauteng High Court, Pretoria earlier found that the couple had murdered Sibusiso Sithebe, who had previously been in a romantic relationship with Lerato.
The body found in bed in the couple’s home was so badly burnt that everyone accepted that it was Sibusiso Mahlangu who had died. This was especially so as the accused had put his own wedding band on the finger of the deceased.
Days after the incident, Lerato submitted three fraudulent insurance claims with Old Mutual, where she was employed as a sales consultant. She used Sithebe’s body and pretended it was Sibusiso who had died and claimed R570 000 in insurance.
While everyone believed he had died in the fire, it was only discovered more than a year later that he was alive when he was stopped at a roadblock in Hammanskraal.
A social worker who compiled a pre-sentencing report on him testified that Sibusiso was not sorry for what he had done, as he maintained his innocence.
Sibusiso was called to the stand after the social worker and dropped a bombshell that not even his lawyer knew about, by suddenly confessing all.
He told Judge Papi Mosopa: “This is probably my last chance to speak. Yesterday I went back to my cell and prayed to God for wisdom to do things right.”
Sibusiso said he had done many wrong things over the past few years, but now, just for once, he wants to take responsibility for his life.
He then repeatedly asked for the forgiveness of the family of the deceased, for his own family and for his wife, for the pain he had caused them. He told the court that what he had done was not how his mother had raised him, as she had raised him as a good person.
“I don’t know how I got to that point. I cannot go on to pretend what I have done does not matter.”
Sibusiso further said that he does not know what will happen to his wife as she too is facing sentencing.
“But the truth is it is not her fault. She is also a victim.”
He added: “I would love to get a chance in life to be kind again. But whatever the court decides, I will take it as I need to take responsibility.”
He explained that his wife went out with the deceased that night and he was very angry about that. He called her to bring the deceased home, which she did. According to him, she then left again.
He said the deceased was very drunk and a fight broke out between them. He then took the deceased to his bedroom and placed him on the bed. He was not very clear on how a fire broke out the next moment, but he said that he took his wedding ring off and placed it on the finger of the deceased before leaving the room.
Lerato earlier told the court that she thought it was her husband as she recognised him by his wedding ring.
Sibusiso testified that he disappeared for a while but later contacted Lerato and told her to claim the insurance money. According to him, he threatened “that she will face the same fate” if she told anyone about what happened.
He also claimed that he was the one who had spent most of the R570 000 insurance money.
Lerato will testify on Wednesday.
Cape Times