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Pretoria – Police Sergeant Kate Lindiwe Hlongwane, convicted of the murder of her husband, Russel Hlongwane, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison despite pleading for leniency.
The High Court in Pretoria sentenced the 47-year-old police sergeant, a mother of three, on Wednesday, 11 February 2026.
Russel Hlongwane, the deceased father of her children, was only 40 – seven years younger than his police sergeant wife.
Evidence presented in court revealed that last year, on 27 January, Sergeant Hlongwane visited a sangoma in Soshanguve, JJ.
Her husband was alerted by the vehicle tracking system that the family car was in a high-risk area.
Concerned, Russel Hlongwane, drove to the location and found his wife consulting with the sangoma.
He instructed her to return home, and they drove back separately to their residence in Soshanguve Extension 7.
Later that evening, Russel Hlongwane confronted his police sergeant wife about her visit to the sangoma, and an argument ensued.
Fed up, Russel Hlongwane told his wife he was taking her to his parents’ home “to learn discipline.”
They began loading Hlongwane’s clothes into their vehicle and drove off together.
However, the couple returned home.
Before entering their home, Sergeant Hlongwane shot her husband multiple times with her police service pistol.
Upon hearing the vehicle return and gunshots shortly thereafter, the family’s domestic worker went outside to investigate.
She encountered Sergeant Hlongwane, who ignored her inquiries about her husband’s whereabouts.
The domestic worker continued searching until she found Russel Hlongwane lying in the street near a neighbour’s house, bleeding heavily.
A neighbour who had also heard the gunshots rushed the victim to Akasia Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Hlongwane was arrested on 28 January 2024, and the matter was referred to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) for investigation.
In court, Sergeant Hlongwane pleaded not guilty, claiming the firearm discharged accidentally during a struggle with her husband.
However, Advocate Vongani Khoza, for the State, presented expert ballistic evidence which contradicted her version.
The ballistic expert, trained in distance determination and wound analysis, testified that the shots were fired from a distance, disproving the accused’s claim and proving the State’s case beyond a reasonable doubt.
During sentencing proceedings, Sergeant Hlongwane, through her legal representative, requested leniency, citing that she is a first-time offender, a mother of three minor children, and had been in custody since her arrest.
However, prosecutor Advocate Khoza argued for a sentence that would send a strong message to society.
He submitted that the accused showed no remorse and had committed a serious act of domestic violence, a crime prevalent in the country.
As a trained police official, the accused used her service firearm to shoot her husband multiple times.
In delivering judgment, Judge Papi Mosopa agreed with the State that Sergeant Hlongwane had not demonstrated remorse, noting that even after conviction, she did not apologise to the deceased’s family.
Although the court deviated from the prescribed minimum sentence, the judge stated that the imposed sentence serves not only to punish the accused but also to send a clear message that conflicts must be resolved respectfully and lawfully, without resorting to domestic violence.
“The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the sentence and remains committed to holding perpetrators of domestic violence accountable, irrespective of their position or profession,” said Gauteng spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana.
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