A Soshanguve couple who allegedly murdered the woman's baby daddy, burnt his body inside their house and claimed it belonged to the husband, were remanded in custody yesterday. Sibusiso Mahlangu (33) and Lerato Mahlangu (32) appeared briefly at the Soshanguve Magistrates Court. 

CHARGES  

The couple is facing charges of premeditated murder, defeating the ends of justice and fraud. It is alleged that on 02 January 2022, the Mahlangu couple killed Sibusiso Sithebe, put the husband's wedding ring on his finger before burning him beyond recognition at their house in Block HH, Soshanguve. Thereafter, the wife Lerato identified the body as that of her husband through the wedding ring. She went on to obtain a death certificate from the Department of Home Affairs, claiming that her husband Sibusiso, died in the fire and later claimed life policies and ?buried' her husband.  

A DEAD MAN ALIVE 

The couple was arrested on 20 April 2023, after the husband was found in possession of a stolen car in Hammanskraal. Upon his arrest, it was discovered that he was registered as deceased, and he confessed to the murder. Mahlangu fled to Mpumalanga soon after the murder where he was later joined by his wife. 

 
MISSING SIBUSISO SITHEBE 

According to murdered Sibusiso Sithebe's family, he went missing in January last year, the same month he was allegedly murdered by his ex and her husband. Sibusiso's brother Sean told ZiMoja that the couple broke up more than seven years ago and did not have contact. "Lerato and my brother never spoke, all communication regarding their child was mostly through our sister," he said. Sean added that Lerato came looking for Sibusiso at their house a month before he went missing and they found that very strange. The Sithebe family were informed by the the police that they might have found their missing son. The family says they want answers and need to know if the man buried by Lerato was indeed their brother and son. The matter will be back in court on the 18th of May.