Diplomat's sign jailed over knife attack on beauty queen, boyfriend

Diplomat's sign jailed over knife attack on beauty queen, boyfriend

HEARTACHE: Nomsa Muhlwa (left) with her sister, Miss Zimbabwe UK 2007 Sindiso Muhlwa, and their mum

BEAST: Etiene Vidal Puna

TRAGIC: Lucas Ramabi knifed 19 times

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By Staff Reporter

THE son of an Angolan diplomat who stabbed a Zimbabwean beauty queen before knifing her boyfriend at least 19 times until he died last November has been jailed for life at the Sheffield Crown Court.

Etiene Vidal Puna, 23, acted in a fit of jealousy after arriving at Nomusa Muhlwa’s home on Selset Way in Hull and finding her in bed with her new boyfriend, South African national Lucas Ramabi, 25.

The court heard Puna beat Ramabi unconscious before going to the kitchen and returning with a knife to stab him at least 19 times.

Muhlwa's children, aged four and eight, were present in the house when the murder took place.

Nomusa’s sister is the reigning Miss Zimbabwe UK, Sindiso Muhlwa. Nomusa has participated in several beauty pageants.

Puna was ordered to serve a minimum of 17-and-a-half years.

Speaking after sentence was passed at Sheffield Crown Court, Muhlwa said: “It has been horrific waiting for this day to come.

“I can't say I'm entirely happy with the number of years he has got, I think it should have been more.”

Muhlwa arrived in the UK from Zimbabwe with her children in 2003. The beauty queen was training to be a nurse at the University of Hull when she met Puna, who was studying for a degree in business studies, in February last year.

The court heard the pair had a turbulent relationship, and that he had been served with a harassment order after the relationship ended in August.

Muhlwa had met Lucas Ramabi, who arrived in the country from South Africa in 2000, while he was working as a security guard in Leeds.

The court heard Puna entered the Selset Way house while the couple were sleeping upstairs.

When he found the pair in bed, he beat Ramabi until he was almost unconscious, before going downstairs to the kitchen and returning with a knife.

He then attacked Ramabi with the knife and stabbed Muhlwa through the arm as she tried to drag her boyfriend to safety.

Sentencing Puna, Judge Michael Murphy said: “You never knew your victim and he never knew you.

“Lucas Ramabi's young and promising life has been taken away from him because of your jealousy and your malice.”

Puna, the son of an Angolan diplomat, was told he will be deported if he is ever released on licence.
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