In a case that has spanned over three years, the High Court has handed down a substantial prison sentence to 30-year-old Lizo Thana Ntilana for the murder of a 17-year-old girl from Ntsimbini locality, Majola A/A.
The victim was last seen alive in April 2022, travelling to Mhlotsheni locality to visit her boyfriend. After she was reported missing, Port St John’s Detectives commenced a protracted search.
The investigation reached a critical breakthrough on 26 May 2023, when detectives, acting on reliable information from an informant, received intelligence that a person in Mhlotsheni locality was suspected of the murder. After conducting a thorough investigation, police moved to arrest the suspect that same day.
During the arrest, officers recovered the victim’s cellphone from Lizo Ntilana. He subsequently provided a lawful confession, detailing how he met the teenager at a tea plantation, strangled her to death, and disposed of her body by throwing it over the Mgxotho Cliff.
With the assistance of the K9 Unit, the victim’s remains were later located at the bottom of the cliff. Ntilana was charged with kidnapping, murder, robbery, and defeating the ends of justice. He abandoned his bail application and remained in custody throughout the trial.
On Thursday, 11 December 2025, Ntilana was sentenced as follows:
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Count 1: Kidnapping – 5 years’ imprisonment.
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Count 2: Murder – 22 years’ imprisonment.
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Count 3: Robbery – 15 years’ imprisonment.
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Count 4: Defeating the ends of justice – 5 years’ imprisonment.
The court ordered that the sentences for Counts 1, 3, and 4 run concurrently with the 22-year sentence for murder. Effectively, Ntilana will serve 22 years in prison.
