The High Court of South Africa, Mpumalanga Division, has sentenced 38-year-old Mikah Shalamuka Willy Sithole to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Nicolene Morgan.
In a statement released on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that Sithole and Morgan were in a domestic relationship and lived together at his residence.
The court heard that on December 21, 2024, Morgan and her sister attended a social gathering at Cork Trust in the Bushbuckridge district. Sithole later arrived at the venue and found them drinking alcohol. He asked Morgan to accompany him home, claiming he needed to collect his belongings. When she refused, a heated argument broke out.
Sithole then forcibly removed Morgan from the venue and assaulted her as he escorted her away. He diverted their route to his residence, where Morgan was later killed.
On the morning of December 22, 2024, Sithole asked his brother-in-law to seek help so Morgan could be taken to hospital. However, while the brother-in-law was away, Sithole killed her and fled the scene.
Morgan’s body was later discovered with visible injuries, prompting a police investigation that led to Sithole’s arrest a few days later.
Although Sithole pleaded not guilty, he was convicted based on strong circumstantial evidence. State Advocate Fedile Tsotetsi presented testimony from multiple witnesses, including evidence of a history of abuse. A post-mortem report confirmed that Morgan died from asphyxia caused by external pressure to the neck.
The court accepted the State’s evidence and rejected the accused’s version of events. In aggravation of sentence, Advocate Tsotetsi highlighted the widespread problem of domestic violence and femicide in South Africa, stressing the brutality of the crime and Sithole’s lack of remorse.
Victim impact statements prepared by Morgan’s mother and siblings, with assistance from Court Preparation Officer Nomfundo Mokoena, outlined the deep emotional trauma and lasting effects of the crime on the family.
Finding no substantial or compelling circumstances to justify a lesser sentence, the court imposed the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment for murder. Sithole was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The NPA welcomed the conclusion of the case, reiterating its commitment to combating gender-based violence and femicide, and reaffirmed its resolve to prioritise cases involving vulnerable persons and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable.
