The High Court in Mpumalanga, South Africa, has handed a life sentence to 29-year-old Jabulani Nkosi for the murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Boitsoko Khoza.
He also received an additional five-year sentence for setting her body on fire—both sentences to run concurrently.
The court’s ruling, delivered on Thursday, July 3, 2025, followed harrowing details of the brutal murder, which took place in November 2023.
Khoza, who was ten weeks pregnant at the time of her death, was beaten, stabbed, and later set ablaze in her flat in Evander.
Khoza was last seen on November 22, when she informed her colleagues she would be travelling to visit her parents in Mamelodi.
She never made it, and after days of silence, her family reported her missing. Just three days later, her apartment was discovered engulfed in flames. Firefighters found her charred remains at the scene.
The post-mortem report confirmed the full extent of the violence. Nkosi’s arrest came shortly after, following a confession he made to friends.
He later attempted to dispose of evidence, including selling Khoza’s phone for just R650. The prosecution presented damning expert testimony, leading to his conviction for murder and arson.
In delivering judgment, the court condemned Nkosi’s actions as cold and calculated, highlighting his lack of remorse throughout the trial.
The presiding judge further stressed the severity of gender-based violence and the added cruelty in targeting a pregnant woman.
Nkosi was also declared unfit to possess a firearm, underlining the seriousness of his crimes.
