A police sergeant has been found guilty of murdering her husband using her service pistol, following a dispute over a sangoma visit.
The High Court in Pretoria convicted police Sergeant Kate Lindiwe Hlongwane, 45, for the premeditated murder of her husband. The victim was 40-year-old Russel Hlongwane, the father of their three children.
According to court evidence, the sergeant visited a sangoma in Soshanguve, JJ, on 27 January 2024. She used the family car for the trip.
Sergeant found guilty of premeditated murder of husband
The husband was alerted by the vehicle tracker that the car was in a high-risk area. He then drove to the location and found Hlongwane consulting with the sangoma.
The deceased told her to go home, and they each went back to their homes in Soshanguve Extension 7 in different cars.
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National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the husband confronted Hlongwane about her trip to the sangoma when he arrived home later that evening. A fight broke out between the couple.
The husband told the sergeant he was taking her to his parents’ house to “learn discipline”.
The couple began loading Hlongwane’s clothes into the car. They then drove off together.
Husband shot with service pistol
“A few minutes later in the early hours of the morning, they returned home, where Hlongwane shot her husband several times with her service pistol,” Mahanjana said.
The family’s domestic worker heard the car return and the gunshots soon after. She went outside to investigate.
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Mahanjana said the helper met Hlongwane, who ignored her when she asked about where the deceased was.
“The helper continued to search and found the deceased lying on the ground outside their gate, bleeding profusely next to a neighbour’s house,” she said.
A neighbour who heard the gunshots rushed the husband to Akasia Hospital. He later died from his injuries.
Hlongwane claimed firearm discharged accidentally
The police arrested Hlongwane the same day, on 28 January 2024. The case was referred to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate for investigation.
In court, Hlongwane pleaded not guilty, claiming that the firearm discharged accidentally during a struggle with her husband.
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Ballistic expert disproves accused’s version
Her version was refuted by expert ballistic evidence submitted by state advocate Vhungani Khoza.
“The ballistic expert, trained in distance determination and wound analysis, demonstrated that the shots were fired from a distance, disproving her claim and proving the State’s case beyond a reasonable doubt,” Mahanjana said.
Judge Papi Mosopa found the accused’s version to be “unconvincing and improbable” in his ruling. Mosopa rejected Hlongwane’s evidence, finding the state’s case credible and unchallenged.
The matter has been postponed to 1 December for sentencing proceedings.
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