Johannesburg – Two men have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Lichtenburg Magistrate’s Court for murdering a woman and burying her remains in a shallow grave.
One of the men is also serving a life sentence for rape and the court ordered for the two sentences not to run concurrently.
North West NPA spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the conviction of Johannes Tuelo, 24, and Kamogelo Mokgothu, 26, stemmed from the November 13, 2020, murder of a woman.
The accused were seen in Coligny, taking turns stabbing a female with a knife. They were seen by a witness.
They also had a spade, which they used to bury the deceased’s remains in a ditch.”
Mamothame also revealed that the witness, who turned state witness, was also confronted and threatened by the pair with death if she reported the incident.
“The remains of the deceased were discovered by passer-by community members on 16 November, 2020.
“The matter was reported to the police and the accused were arrested on 13 and 17 December 2020, respectively,” said Mamothame.
In aggravation of sentence the state prosecutor, Dibuseng Ntsala, urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment as the accused violated the deceased’s right to life.
The pair also pleaded not guilty to the charges and the court denied them bail.
“In handing down the sentence, magistrate Maphango agreed with the state and remarked on the rifeness of gender-based violence and femicide in the country, and that the courts have a responsibility to protect the vulnerable members of society against such perpetrators,” said Mamothame.
The Director of Public Prosecutions in North West, Dr Rachel Makhari Sekhaolelo applauded the prosecutor and the investigating officer for the conviction.
“The rise in femicide cases calls for a vigorous united front in defeating this scourge,” said Sekaolelo.
IOL