The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has welcomed a hefty sentence handed down to 35-year-old Ace Ndlovu for attempted murder, arson as well as Contravention of a Protection Order. Ndlovu was sentenced to a combined 13 years imprisonment, by the Carolina Regional Court, on Monday, 18 July 2022.
The court heard how on 25 November 2020, Ndlovu locked his 35-year-old wife as well as their sons aged four and five years old respectively, inside the shack they were living in and set it alight.
Community members assisted to extinguish the fire and took them to the hospital.
Police were notified about the incident and upon arrival they arrested Ndlovu and he was put under police guard as he had also sustained burn wounds. He was then charged with three counts of attempted murder, arson as well as Contravention of a Protection Order.
The court sentenced Ndlovu to ten years for attempted murder and arson plus an additional three years for Contravention of a Protection Order.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has also applauded members of the public for their role in saving the lives of the victims and the General also appreciated the sterling work done by the team of detectives which culminated a well-deserved punishment.
“This is no longer time to fold hands and do nothing when crime happens. Everyone has got a role to play and one can imagine what could have happened to the victims if members of the community decided to just watch and not assist. This is a clear indication that we all need each other in the fight against crime, more especially crimes directed on women and children. We hope the sentence will serve as a deterrence to others” said the General.
