Lutendo "Lies" Mandela Mulaudzi (29) of Magau village in the Sinthumule area will spend the next 24 years behind bars after he was found guilty of murder. His case was finalised in the Thohoyandou High Court on Tuesday.

The case relates to an incident that took place at Magau village during the night of December 24 last year. The court heard that, during the night of the incident, Mulaudzi met his former girlfriend in the street. She was in the company of her new lover and a young boy. Mulaudzi then grabbed the girl and threatened her with death if she did not accompany him to his home.

The deceased remained with the young boy when Mulaudzi vanished with the girl. The court further heard that the girl managed to escape before they arrived at Mulaudzi’s home. Mulaudzi then went back to the spot where he had originally found the girl with her new lover.

At that time, the new boyfriend was still waiting for the girl. On arrival at the spot, Mulaudzi hit him with a stone on the head. He fell down and Mulaudzi assaulted him with a wooden block and later stabbed him in the chest with a knife.

The young boy, who was in the company of the deceased and the girl, left the place and ran for his life. He met the girl along the way. He explained the whole story to the girl, who phoned the police. The deceased was already dead when the police arrived at the scene.

Judge Godfrey Hetisani sentenced Mulaudzi to 24 years in jail for murder and a further jail sentence of four years for assault by threat. The sentences will run concurrently. Adv RJ Makhera appeared for the state and Mr Mbambadzeni Manwadu represented the accused.