A 49-year-old man has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend in the Tsolo district of the Eastern Cape.
The Eastern Cape Division of the High Court, sitting in Mthatha, sentenced Meloxolo Goodwill Pasiya for the murder of 39-year-old Nwabisa Gwabeni, who was shot and killed at her home in Nkanini Location on 1 October 2021.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Pasiya admitted that he arrived at Gwabeni’s home under the influence of alcohol. An argument broke out between the couple, during which he lost his temper and shot her.
He also pleaded guilty to pointing a firearm at Gwabeni’s daughter, who was the sole eyewitness in the case.
Following the murder, Pasiya concealed and later sold the firearm, preventing investigators from recovering the weapon and linking it to cartridges found at the scene.
Pasiya was only arrested in 2026 following a lengthy investigation.
The court sentenced him to 27 years’ imprisonment for murder, with additional sentences for unlawful possession of a firearm, pointing a firearm and defeating the ends of justice ordered to run concurrently.
Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Samkelo Mtwana, welcomed the sentence, saying it sends a strong message that perpetrators of violence against women will be held accountable.
