A South African lawyer has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of murdering the mother of his young child and then setting her body and vehicle on fire in a calculated attempt to destroy evidence.
On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg sentenced 30-year-old Thubelihle Sbonakaliso Mpisi. He was found guilty of the murder of Mahlako Malebo Rabalao, as well as destruction of property and defeating the administration of justice.
Rabalao’s burnt remains were discovered on March 9, 2023 inside her Mercedes-Benz near the home the couple shared in Midrand. The 26-year-old IT specialist, who was about to turn 27, was the mother of the couple’s three-year-old son. 
Although the extensive burning made it impossible for medical experts to determine the precise cause of death, the court accepted the State’s case that Rabalao had already died before the fire was started.
Prosecutors, led by Senior State Advocate Michelle Bayat, relied on detailed evidence that included cellphone records, forensic analysis, expert testimony, and Mpisi’s own conduct before and after the incident. The fire investigators ruled out accidental causes.
Evidence showed petrol had been used and that the fire was deliberately ignited. The prosecution successfully argued that Mpisi killed Rabalao and then set the vehicle alight to conceal the crime.
Court evidence also established that the couple had been in an intimate relationship and that Rabalao had told relatives and friends she intended to end it and move out of the shared apartment.
Mpisi was arrested on July 28, 2023 in KwaZulu-Natal after a four-month investigation. He had remained in custody after abandoning a bail application. Days after Rabalao’s death, and before his arrest, he posted publicly on social media expressing grief and shock, referring to her as the mother of their son and thanking supporters for comfort during what he described as a dark time.
The National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Magaboke Mohlatlole said the life sentence reflects the seriousness of gender-based violence and the justice system’s commitment to holding perpetrators accountable.
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