Two GBV cases finalized in two consecutive days in Bethlehem – SAPS Crime Report: 2021-09-09 15:05:02

South African Police Service

Office of the Provincial Commissioner Free State

BETHLEHEM – Bloemfontein High court sitting in Bethlehem finalized two Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases in two consecutive days. In one of the cases, the accused was sentenced to two life imprisonment, while in the other one was slapped with thirty years imprisonment. The sentence was passed on the 7 and 9 September 2021 consecutively.

In the first incident it was discovered during trial that on 30 November 2019, accused Raphepane Petrus Tsolo (46) handed himself over to the police in Senekal. This was after he fatally stabbed his wife, Mookgo Anna Mzizi (34) several times with a knife. The deceased’s body was found near the Clinic in Matwabeng, Senekal. He appeared in court charged with premeditated murder and his bail was denied until he was successfully sentenced to thirty (30) years direct imprisonment on 7 September 2021.

On the second incident the victim managed to crawl from the bushes in Rosendal where the accused, Mpho Majoba (29), left her to die after cutting her throat. During trial it was revealed that on the 29 March 2021 Majoba kidnapped and slit the throat of the victim before he raped and robbed her of her two cellphones. 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. Because she was struggling to speak, she managed to write on the piece of paper and gave description of the suspect. This led to the arrest of Majoba on the same day. He made his first appearance on 06 April 2021 and stayed behind bars until he was sentenced today, 09 September 2021. His sentence is as follows:

Count 1: attempted murder: 10 years imprisonment, count 2: rape× 2: life imprisonment, count 3: kidnapping: 3 years imprisonment and count 4: robbery aggravating: 15 years imprisonment and the sentence will run concurrently.

“The sentencing came at the right time for Gender Based Violence perpetrators and will send a strong and clear message to want to be criminals that crime against women and children doesn’t pay as justice will always prevail”, said the Free State Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Baile Motswenyane.

Ends

Enquiries:

Brigadier Motantsi Makhele

082 466 7396

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SAPoliceService

Report Every Crime

Stamp Out Fraud and Corruption

Be the Eyes and Ears for the SAPS in your Street

#aim4change