Constable Sizwe Cedrick Khoza, a 39-year-old police officer from Masoyi police station in Mpumalanga, was sentenced to three life terms for the brutal murders of his wife, Nomthandazo Mnisi, her sister Xolisile Mnisi, and her brother Dennis Collen Mkhatshwa.
Constable Sizwe Cedrick Khoza sentenced for killing family
The sentence was handed down by the High Court in Mbombela on Monday, 10 June 2024, following Khoza’s guilty plea to three counts of murder.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) had arrested Khoza after the tragic incident that took place on 30 April 2023, at his residence in Sand River Trust, Hazyview.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Mpumalanga, represented by regional spokesperson Monica Nyuswa, confirmed Khoza’s plea and detailed the sequence of events leading up to the sentencing.
The court papers revealed that Khoza and his wife had been experiencing marital problems, which led to a family meeting intended to resolve their issues.
However, the meeting escalated into a violent confrontation.
What happened the day Khoza killed his family
On 30 April 2023, Constable Sizwe Cedrick Khoza invited both his and his wife’s relatives to a meeting at his home in an attempt to address the ongoing marital issues with his wife, Nomthandazo Mnisi.
During the meeting, tensions ran high, and Khoza reportedly became increasingly agitated. According to court documents, Khoza stormed out of the meeting, only to return armed with his service pistol.
Khoza proceeded to fatally shoot his wife, her sister Xolisile Mnisi, and her brother Dennis Collen Mkhatshwa.
All three victims died at the scene from gunshot wounds, with injuries documented in the court papers including headshots and multiple perforating gunshot wounds to the chest, causing severe internal damage.
Acting national spokesperson for IPID, Robbie Raburabu confirmed that Khoza used his service pistol in the killings. The police were promptly notified, and IPID investigators were dispatched to the crime scene at Kamajika Trust near Sabie Sand in Mpumalanga province.
The brutality of the murders shocked the community and led to immediate calls for justice.
In the end, the disgraced constable will likely spend the remainder of his life behind bars.
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