A Gauteng lawyer Thubelihle Sbonakaliso Mpisi has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering his intimate partner, Mahlako Malebo Rabalao, before setting her body and vehicle alight in an attempt to conceal the crime.
The 30-year-old was sentenced by the Gauteng Division of the High Court after being convicted of murder.
In addition to the murder conviction, Mpisi was found guilty of malicious injury to property and defeating the administration of justice. He was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment on each of those charges, but the court ordered that they run concurrently with his life sentence to prison.
The charges stem from the discovery of Rabalao’s burnt body inside her vehicle in President Park, Midrand, on March 7, 2023. Investigators found that the vehicle had been deliberately set alight.
Senior State Advocate Michelle Bayat successfully argued that although the exact cause of Rabalao’s death could not be determined because of the extensive fire damage, the evidence proved beyond a reasonable doubt that she had died before the vehicle was torched.
The State relied on cellphone records, forensic evidence, expert testimony and Mpisi’s conduct before and after the incident to prove that he murdered Rabalao before setting her body and vehicle on fire in an attempt to conceal the crime.
During the trial, the court heard that Mpisi and Rabalao were in an intimate relationship. Evidence revealed that Rabalao had informed relatives and friends that she intended ending the relationship and moving out of the home they shared.
In handing down sentence, the court agreed that the State had proved Mpisi’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. It also noted that, as an attorney and officer of the court, he had been expected to uphold and respect the rule of law.
NPA Gauteng spokesperson Magaboke Mohlatlole said the prosecuting authority welcomed the sentence, saying it reflects the seriousness with which the courts treat gender-based violence and femicide.
“The outcome reaffirms the criminal justice system’s commitment to holding perpetrators accountable and ensuring justice for victims and their families,” said Mohlatlole.
