Woman Sentenced to 30 Years for Murdering 3-Year-Old Child of Alleged Romantic Rival
Pretoria – A 38-year-old woman, motivated by jealousy, has confessed to murdering her neighbor’s 3-year-old daughter and disposing of the body in a dustbin, which led to a 30-year prison sentence.
The defendant admitted to feeling resentment towards the child’s mother, suspecting her of being involved with her boyfriend.
Penina Felipe Sambo, a Mozambican, pleaded guilty in the Pretoria High Court in Benoni, facing charges of premeditated murder for the killing of Melokuhle Ngwenya.
Sentenced on Wednesday, 30 April 2025, she also acknowledged her illegal immigration status.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) expressed satisfaction with the 30-year direct imprisonment sentence handed down to Sambo.
The court additionally ruled her unfit to possess a firearm.
Describing the events leading to the conviction, NPA Gauteng Spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana noted that on 3 April 2024, little Melokuhle had left her home in Ratanda to buy sweets from a neighbor.
Excited, she had received money from her grandfather intended for sweets.
“Upon arriving at the neighbor’s home, where Sambo resided, she bought some sweets and sat on the couch with her,” Mahanjana detailed.
“A few minutes later, Sambo began to strangle her to death and then disposed of her body in an outdoor recycling bin.
“When the child did not return home, her mother reported her missing to the police.”
Officers subsequently visited Sambo’s residence, where the child had last been seen.
“Upon searching Sambo’s home, the child’s body was found in the dustbin,” Mahanjana stated.
“Sambo was arrested at the scene and has remained in custody since.”
In her guilty plea, Sambo explained that her actions were driven by the anger she felt toward the child’s mother, whom she believed was involved with her boyfriend.
During sentencing, she requested mercy, arguing for a departure from the minimum sentence as a first-time offender and demonstrating remorse through her plea.
However, Prosecutor Advocate Sipho Lalani argued that Sambo was guilty of heinous crimes prevalent within the court’s jurisdiction.
He urged the court to acknowledge the victim’s young age and the justice owed to her grieving family.
Lalani called for a sentence that would resonate deeply with society.
When delivering the sentence, Judge France Van Der Westhuizen expressed approval of Sambo’s guilty plea.
Despite legal recommendations for life imprisonment for such offenses, he deemed the 30-year sentence to be fitting.