Pretoria - The family of the late CSIR bioscience researcher Morewane Mampuru was relieved on Tuesday after his widow was found guilty of being behind his 2008 murder.
Lerato Seletela, 34, was found guilty of masterminding the murder of Mampuru, 38, in their home in Equestria, east of Pretoria.
Seletela, who remarried after Mampuru’s death, was convicted of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria.
Mampuru was shot in the head during a staged robbery at his Esparanza Estate home.
“We are very happy with the outcome of the case and that she was found guilty,” said Leselane Mampuru, the deceased’s older brother.
“Our family finally realises that the justice system does indeed work - especially after eight years of waiting to see that happen.”
Judge Eben Jordaan read out a testimony that was given by Johannes Baloyi, who confessed to killing Mampuru, in which Baloyi detailed how he committed the murder.
Baloyi testified that Seletela approached him to stage a house robbery at her home.
He, along with his accomplice, Boitumelo Mashilane, who has since fled and is being sought by police, entered Mampuru’s house.
The court heard that Baloyi and Mashilane gained entry to the estate using Mampuru’s name after Seletela had told the security guard at the entrance that Baloyi would be returning at a later stage.
Baloyi had told the court that he was approached by Seletela, who asked him to kill her husband for R250 000 as he was having an affair. He was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison, seven of which are suspended.
He was also sentenced to 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, 10 years for illegal possession of a firearm and five for illegal possession of ammunition.
Seletela testified during cross-examination that she had a good relationship with Mampuru and had two children with him.
However, Judge Jordaan said the State proved that Seletela was pregnant with another man’s child when she masterminded her husband’s murder.
She married her boyfriend in 2010, but they later separated.
Judge Jordaan accepted the evidence that was given by two of Seletela’s friends who said she had told them on numerous occasions that she wanted to kill her husband.
Proceeding
Pretoria News