06/08/2026
Attorney Thubelihle Sbonakaliso Mpisi (30) has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his intimate partner, Mahlako Malebo Rabalao
The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg found him guilty of murder, malicious injury to property, and defeating the administration of justice. The court heard that Rabalao's burnt body was found inside her vehicle in President Park, Midrand, in March 2023 after the car was deliberately set alight.
Although the exact cause of death could not be determined due to the fire, the court accepted evidence that she had died before the vehicle was burned. Cellphone records, forensic evidence, expert testimony, and Mpisi's actions before and after the incident helped secure the conviction.
The National Prosecuting Authority welcomed the life sentence, saying it reflects the justice system's commitment to tackling gender-based violence and femicide.
