South African Woman Sentenced to 23 Years for Poisoning 11-Year-Old Stepdaughter with Rat Poison-Laced Ice Cream

A 37-year-old woman, identified as Clara Masinga, has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for the premeditated murder of her 11-year-old stepdaughter, whom she poisoned with ice cream laced with rat poison in a shocking act of revenge.

The Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Mbombela handed down the sentence on Wednesday, October 15, after Masinga pleaded guilty under a Section 105A plea and sentence agreement with the State.

According to court records, the incident occurred on March 21, 2015, in KwaMhlushwa, Malelane. Prosecutors said Masinga planned the murder to spite the girl’s biological mother amid ongoing domestic tension and resentment.

On the day of the crime, Masinga reportedly sent one of the victim’s friends to bring the girl, 11-year-old Jennifer Gumbi, to meet her. She then left the children with an accomplice while she went to purchase ice cream and a packet of Rattex-brand rat poison from a nearby store.

She and her accomplice crushed the poison and mixed it into the ice cream before serving it to Jennifer. Shortly after consuming it, the child began convulsing and lost consciousness.

Jennifer’s body was later found dumped in a ditch near the Mlumati River, with evidence suggesting she had suffered greatly before death.

Prosecutors revealed that in an attempt to conceal her crime, Masinga poured boiling water over the child’s body to destroy forensic evidence linking her to the murder.

Following a swift investigation, police arrested Masinga, who eventually confessed to her actions. In her plea, she admitted to intentionally poisoning Jennifer “to spite her biological mother,” acknowledging that her actions were unlawful and deliberate.

Delivering the judgment, Judge Vukeya condemned Masinga’s “cold and calculated cruelty,” emphasizing that crimes against children were on the rise and that courts must send a strong message of deterrence.

“The deliberate killing of innocent children reflects a disturbing pattern of violence within families,” Judge Vukeya said.

While the minimum prescribed sentence for premeditated murder in South Africa is life imprisonment, the court opted for 23 years of direct imprisonment after considering the plea deal and Masinga’s admission of guilt.

Monica Nyuswa, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), welcomed the ruling, praising law enforcement and the prosecution team for their work.

“The NPA welcomes the sentence and commends the dedicated efforts of all law enforcement agencies involved in bringing the perpetrator to justice,” Nyuswa said.
“The value of human life is immeasurable, and the NPA remains steadfast in its commitment to vigorously prosecuting domestic and gender-based violence cases to deter would-be offenders.”

Jennifer’s tragic death, prosecutors said, serves as a grim reminder of how jealousy and domestic resentment can turn deadly.