The Lichtenburg magistrate’s court on Thursday sentenced 24-year-old Johannes Tuelo and 26-year-old Kamogelo Mokgothu to life imprisonment for murdering the 29-year-old Thebolo Iddor Makananyane in 2020 burying her remains in a pit toilet.

It was further established that Tuelo was serving a life sentence for rape, and the court ordered that the two not run concurrently. 

"Their conviction emanates from an incident that occurred in the early hours of 13 November 2020 in Coligny, where they were seen by a witness taking turns stabbing a female with a knife," says the spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority in North West, Henry Mamothame. They also had a spade with them, which they used to bury the deceased’s remains.

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When the two men realised the woman, who later became a state witness, had seen them, they confronted her and threatened to kill her if she reported the murder. 

The remains of the deceased were discovered by passing-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. They pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the court denied them bail.  

In aggravation of sentence, 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.

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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.

North West director of public prosecutions, Rachel Makhari-Sekhaolelo, praised the prosecutor and the investigating officer for the conviction.

"The rise in femicide cases calls for a vigorous, united front in defeating this scourge," she said.

OFM News