Abayomi Susan
A South African lawyer, Thubelihle Sbonakaliso Mpisi, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend, Mahlako Malebo Rabalao, in Johannesburg.
The South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg handed down the sentence on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, after finding Mpisi guilty of murder, malicious injury to property and defeating the administration of justice.
Rabalao, an IT specialist who was about to turn 27, was found dead in her Mercedes-Benz near her home in Midrand on March 9, 2023. Her vehicle had been set on fire in an apparent attempt to conceal evidence.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Senior State Advocate Michelle Bayat argued during the trial that although medical experts could not establish the exact cause of death due to the condition of the remains, evidence showed that Rabalao had died before the fire was started.
The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, including cellphone records, forensic findings, expert testimony and Mpisi’s conduct before and after the incident.
Prosecutors told the court that Mpisi killed Rabalao and subsequently set her body and vehicle on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence and conceal the crime.
Evidence presented during the trial established that Mpisi and Rabalao were in a relationship. Rabalao had reportedly informed relatives and friends of her intention to end the relationship and move out of the apartment they shared.
Mpisi, who was 30 at the time of the incident, was arrested in KwaZulu-Natal following a four-month investigation.
Before his arrest, he reportedly took to social media to express his grief over Rabalao’s death, describing his shock and pain over the loss of the mother of his three-year-old son.
The court ultimately found the prosecution’s case proven beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced Mpisi to life imprisonment for the murder.
