A Johannesburg attorney has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering his girlfriend, whose burned body was discovered inside her vehicle in Midrand more than three years ago.
The South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg convicted 30-year-old Thubelihle Sbonakaliso Mpisi of the murder of Mahlako Malebo Rabalao. In addition to the murder conviction, he was also found guilty of malicious injury to property and defeating the administration of justice for attempting to conceal the crime.
Mpisi has remained behind bars since his arrest on July 28, 2023. He chose to abandon his bail application shortly after being taken into custody and has been awaiting the conclusion of his trial ever since.
Rabalao’s charred remains were discovered inside her Mercedes-Benz on March 9, 2023, near her home in Midrand. The gruesome discovery shocked the community and sparked an intensive police investigation that eventually led to Mpisi’s arrest in KwaZulu-Natal after several months of investigation.
During the trial, the National Prosecuting Authority successfully argued that Rabalao had been killed before her body and vehicle were deliberately set on fire. Although medical experts could not establish the precise cause of death because the body had been extensively burned, prosecutors presented compelling evidence showing that the fire was used to destroy evidence rather than being the cause of her death.
The State’s case relied heavily on circumstantial evidence, including cellphone records, forensic findings, expert testimony and Mpisi’s behaviour before and after the incident. The court found that the evidence proved beyond reasonable doubt that he murdered Rabalao before setting her vehicle alight in an attempt to cover up the crime.
Evidence presented in court also revealed that the couple had been in a romantic relationship that had deteriorated in the months leading up to the murder. Family members and close friends testified that Rabalao had expressed her intention to end the relationship and move out of the apartment she shared with Mpisi.
Rabalao, an IT specialist, was just days away from celebrating her 27th birthday when her life was tragically cut short. She was also the mother of a young son she shared with Mpisi.
Before his arrest, Mpisi publicly mourned Rabalao on social media, expressing heartbreak over her death. In a Facebook post shared weeks after her body was found, he wrote about the pain of losing the mother of his child and questioned how he would raise their son without her. He also thanked friends and relatives for their prayers, emotional support and financial assistance during what he described as a dark period.
However, investigators continued gathering evidence that ultimately linked him to the killing. After a four-month investigation, police arrested Mpisi in KwaZulu-Natal, bringing the case before the courts.
The life sentence marks the end of a lengthy legal process and delivers justice for Rabalao’s family, who have waited more than three years for accountability. The case also highlights South Africa’s ongoing battle against gender-based violence and the importance of thorough forensic investigations in securing convictions, even when suspects attempt to destroy crucial evidence.
About the Author
