Police spokesperson, Motantsi Makhele, says the Bloemfontein High Court sitting in Bethlehem finalised the cases of both suspects within days. Makhele says that the accused in one case was sentenced to two life imprisonment, whilst the suspect in the other case was slapped with 30 years' jail time. He said that these sentencings were consecutively passed on 7 and 9 September.

"The sentencing came at the right time for these GBV perpetrators and will send a strong and clear message to want-to-be criminals that crime against women and child abuse do not pay as justice prevails," said Motswenyane.

Makhele said with the first suspect's incident, the accused Raphepane Petrus Tsolo (46) handed himself over to the police in Senekal. It was discovered during trial that on 30 November 2019 he stabbed his wife, the 43-year-old Mookgo Anna Mzizi, several times with a knife. He said that the deceased's body was discovered near the clinic in Matwabeng in Senekal. The accused appeared in court and was charged with premeditated murder and was denied bail until he was successfully sentenced to 30 years imprisonment on 7 September 2021.

In the second incident, the victim managed to crawl from the bushes in Rosendale where the 29-year-old accused, Mpho Majoba, left her to die after cutting her throat. Makhele said during trial, it was revealed that on 29 March 2021, Majoba kidnapped and slit the throat of the victim before he raped and robbed her of her two cellphones. It was revealed that she managed to crawl to the road where she was assisted by a farmer who called an ambulance and the matter was reported to the police. 

Makhele says it was further revealed that the victim managed to write a note, as she was struggling to speak. Makhele said she managed to give the description of the suspect and this led to the arrest of Majoba on the same day. Makhele said the suspect stayed behind bars from 6 April 2021, until he was sentenced on 9 September 2021.

OFM News