The High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division in Pretoria, has sentenced police sergeant Kate Lindiwe Hlongwane (47) to 17 years’ direct imprisonment for the murder of her husband, Russel Hlongwane (40), the father of their three children. Hlongwane, who was attached to the Dube Police Station under visible policing, was found guilty of killing her husband with her service firearm in a case that has drawn widespread attention due to the tragic domestic circumstances and her position as a law enforcement officer.
Evidence presented in court revealed that on 27 January 2024, Hlongwane visited a sangoma in Soshanguve, identified during proceedings as JJ. Her husband became aware of her whereabouts after the family vehicle’s tracking system indicated that the car was in what was considered a high-risk area. Concerned, Russel Hlongwane drove to the location, where he found his wife consulting with the sangoma.
According to testimony, he instructed her to return home, and the couple drove back separately to their residence in Soshanguve Extension 7. Later that evening, when the deceased arrived home, he confronted his wife about the visit. An argument broke out between the couple, escalating tensions in the household. During the confrontation, Russel allegedly told Hlongwane that he would take her to his parents’ home “to learn discipline,” a statement that further fueled the dispute.
The court heard that the couple then began loading Hlongwane’s clothes into their vehicle and drove off together. However, only a few minutes later, in the early hours of the morning, they returned to their home. It was at this point that the situation turned fatal. Hlongwane shot her husband multiple times using her service pistol, causing injuries that led to his death.
In delivering judgment, Judge Papi Mosopa agreed with the State’s argument that Hlongwane had failed to show genuine remorse for her actions. The judge noted that even after her conviction, she did not offer an apology to the deceased’s family, a factor that weighed heavily in the court’s assessment of her character and attitude toward the crime.
Although the court deviated from the prescribed minimum sentence for murder, Judge Mosopa emphasized that the 17-year term of direct imprisonment was both appropriate and necessary under the circumstances. The sentence, he said, was not only meant to punish Hlongwane for her actions but also to send a strong message to society, particularly in cases involving domestic disputes.
The court stressed that conflicts within families and relationships must be resolved in a lawful and respectful manner, without resorting to violence. The judge further highlighted the seriousness of the offence, especially considering that Hlongwane was a trained police officer entrusted with a firearm and sworn to protect lives, not take them.
The case has once again placed the spotlight on the devastating consequences of domestic violence and the importance of accountability, regardless of one’s position or profession. For the Hlongwane family, the sentence brings a measure of legal closure, but it does little to ease the pain of losing a husband, a father, and a loved one under such tragic circumstances.
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