
Louis Serenetra Moyo, 49, a security guard, has been handed a life sentence for killing his partner, Thobile Grace Khoza, after discovering she spent the R15,000 he saved for lobola.
Moyo used Khoza’s bank account to save money intended for lobola. However, when he found out she spent the funds, he brutally assaulted and stabbed her, leaving her to bleed to death.
According to Phindi Mjonondwane, spokesperson for the Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the couple had cohabited since 2020. Moyo’s salary was paid into Khoza’s account, which he continued to use to save for lobola.
On March 12, Moyo discovered Khoza had spent the saved R15,000. During the confrontation, he assaulted Khoza with various objects, stabbed her, and left her to die. He locked the room and fled, and Khoza’s decomposed body was discovered by the landlord three days later.
Moyo was arrested and found with Khoza’s bank card, ID, and cellphone. He pleaded guilty to murder, admitting to premeditated actions during a fit of rage.
Judge Dario Dosio condemned Moyo’s disregard for SA laws and the severity of gender-based violence (GBV), emphasizing the need for harsher penalties to deter violence against women.
Moyo received life imprisonment for Khoza’s murder and an additional six months for being in the country unlawfully.
The NPA remains committed to combating GBV and ensuring justice for victims, highlighting the urgent need for support services and early intervention to prevent intimate partner violence tragedies.