Thokozile Mnguni
What began as a marriage ended in tragedy and a life sentence. Ntabiseng Tlali (42) and her close friend Lineo Ralitsa (39) have been sentenced to life imprisonment for orchestrating the murder of Tlali’s husband, David Malewa Tlali.
The Pretoria High Court, sitting in the Palm Ridge Magistrates’ Court, handed down the sentence after convicting the pair of premeditated murder.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Gauteng regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said they welcome the sentencing, saying it demonstrated the justice system’s commitment to holding perpetrators of serious crimes accountable.
The court heard that in June 2024, Tlali approached Ralitsa and asked her to arrange hitmen to kill her husband. Ralitsa then contacted her former boyfriend, who helped source two Lesotho nationals to carry out the murder.
On 11 August 2024, the two men arrived at Ralitsa’s home and spent the night there. In the early hours of the following morning, Tlali informed Ralitsa that her husband had arrived home. The men then went to the victim’s residence, confronted him at the gate, and shot him in the head before fleeing the scene.
“Police later linked the two women to the killing after receiving information from an informant,” said Mahanjana.
Tlali was arrested at her workplace in Sharpeville on 20 November 2024, while Ralitsa handed herself over to police two days later.
Both women pleaded guilty.
During sentencing, Tlali told the court she arranged the murder because her husband had allegedly abused her.
The defence argued that both accused were first offenders and asked the court to impose a sentence below the prescribed minimum of life imprisonment.
However, State Advocate Mokautu Masilo argued that the murder was extremely serious and that the guilty pleas were driven by overwhelming evidence rather than genuine remorse.
A victim impact statement was also presented in court, describing the deceased as the family’s breadwinner and detailing the emotional and financial hardship caused by his death. The victim’s sister told the court that their mother’s health had deteriorated following the murder.
“In its judgment, the court found that neither accused showed genuine remorse,” Mahanjana said.
The judge said lawful avenues existed if Tlali had been subjected to abuse and concluded that the killing appeared to be financially motivated, noting that Tlali received multiple insurance payouts after her husband’s death.
Finding no substantial and compelling circumstances to justify a lesser sentence, the court sentenced both women to life imprisonment.
“The NPA said the outcome reinforces its commitment to combating violent crime and ensuring offenders face the full force of the law,” added Mahanjana.