A 59-year-old man, Molabe Fannie Seribishane, has been sentenced to life in prison by the Polokwane High Court for the premeditated killing of his wife, 52-year-old Mamsy Seribishane. The sentence was delivered on Wednesday, 10 June 2026.
The victim, a nurse, was shot dead on 22 October 2024 at approximately 17:30. She was arriving for her shift at Lebowakgomo Hospital when a gunman ambushed her near the facility’s gate before fleeing the scene in a white Volkswagen Golf 7.
Following the registration of a murder case at Lebowakgomo SAPS, the matter was escalated to Provincial Detectives. Captain Phaladi Makola of the Provincial Tracking Team spearheaded the probe, which uncovered that the couple was undergoing divorce proceedings and that the accused was already subject to a protection order at the time of the incident.
Seribishane remained a fugitive until 13 November 2024, when a joint operation by the Provincial Tracking Team and the Provincial Investigation Unit apprehended him at his residence while he was gathering personal belongings. Police confiscated a 9mm pistol in his possession. Forensic investigations traced the weapon to a June 2024 theft in Seshego, and ballistic testing definitively matched it to the fatal shooting of Mamsy Seribishane.
Throughout the trial, Seribishane maintained his innocence and his applications for bail were unsuccessful. Advocate David Sebelebele led the prosecution, relying heavily on digital forensics provided by DPCI PCMC cellphone expert Captain Machoene Mabotja. Mabotja’s technological analysis conclusively placed the accused at the scene of the crime, significantly bolstering the State’s case.
Presiding Judge Karin Leanee Pillay characterized the State’s evidence as “watertight.” In her ruling, she highlighted that the accused exhibited zero remorse and had meticulously planned and carried out the execution of his wife.
The court handed down the following sentences:
Count 1 (Murder): Life imprisonment.
Count 2 (Contravention of the Domestic Violence Act): Six years imprisonment.
Count 3 (Possession of an unlicensed firearm): Fifteen years imprisonment.
Count 4 (Possession of ammunition): Six years imprisonment.
Judge Pillay ordered the sentences for Counts 2, 3, and 4 to run concurrently with the life sentence imposed for murder. Furthermore, Seribishane was declared unfit to possess a firearm, and the court informed the victim’s family of their right to submit representations to the parole board prior to his eligibility review.