Serial killer and ex‑cop jailed for life after executing couple in front of their children

Two men have been sentenced to multiple life terms after the killing of a married couple in front of their children, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said.

Who was convicted and what happened

The Pretoria High Court on Wednesday handed down sentences to Rassie Hlabirwa Nkune, 37, and former South African Police Service officer Jacob Mothibe Chego, 41, for the murders of Lucky and Sabeliwe Zwane Mogashoa, which occurred in 2022.

According to the NPA, the couple travelled with their one‑ and eight‑year‑old children to Benoni to meet Nkune, who had posed as a police officer. While en route to White River, Nkune allegedly instructed Mogashoa at gunpoint to stop in an open veld in Etwatwa, forced the couple from the vehicle, left the children inside and then executed both victims with shots to the head.

Nkune then drove off with the children, abandoned them in the vehicle and fled on foot. The eight‑year‑old subsequently carried the toddler along the N12 highway until a passer‑by helped them reach a police station, the NPA said.

Evidence and trial findings

State Prosecutor Advocate Tholoana Sekhonyana led evidence including testimony from the surviving child and an associate of Nkune. The court found the witnesses credible and concluded Nkune and Chego had jointly planned and executed the murders, the NPA reported.

The NPA said Sekhonyana read victim impact statements in which the surviving child described how his school performance deteriorated after the trauma, and both families detailed severe psychological, physical and financial harm.

Sentences imposed

Nkune and Chego were each given four life sentences – two for premeditated murder and two for conspiracy to commit murder – plus five‑year terms for multiple counts of kidnapping, fraud and defeating the ends of justice.

Nkune received an additional 30 years for two armed robberies, leaving him with life imprisonment plus extra time, the NPA said. The court also declared both men unfit to possess firearms.

Background and aftermath

The NPA said Nkune was already serving a life sentence for murdering two women in a separate case when he was arrested. Chego and a co‑accused later handed themselves to police and were released on bail; the co‑accused, Elvis Press Makhubela, is now deceased.

During sentencing, the defence asked the court to deviate from minimum sentences on the basis that both men had minor children. The state argued the pair showed no remorse and noted the gravity of the killings, including that a pregnant woman was killed in front of her children. The judge found no substantial or compelling circumstances to justify a lesser sentence.

NPA reaction and legal challenge

“This sentence reaffirms our unwavering commitment to ensuring that perpetrators of violent crime -including those in positions of trust – are held accountable,”

the NPA quoted spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, adding that the ruling “sends a clear message that those who abuse positions of trust for personal gain will face the full might of the law.”

After sentencing, Chego applied for leave to appeal and for bail pending his petition to the Supreme Court of Appeal; the NPA successfully opposed both applications, the authority said.