Limpopo teenager sentenced to 17 years in jail for murder
Dimakatso Mochemi was however acquitted on separate charges of rape and kidnapping.
PRETORIA, March 24 (ANA) – The high court in Limpopo has sentenced an 18-year-old Limpopo teenager to 17 years imprisonment for the 2020 murder of Thoriso Kgomo.
Dimakatso Mochemi had initially been arrested in 2019 for allegedly raping a 14-year-year old girl, but released on bail under parental custody.
“While on bail, he then killed Thoriso Kgomo. Mochemi was seen stabbing Kgomo at a party in Kings Shopping Complex in Seshego on 2 January 2020,” National Prosecuting Authority spokeswoman in Limpopo Mashudu Malabi Dzhangi said.
“The court heard that Kgomo was stabbed because he took Mochemi’s cap. Kgomo succumbed to the stab wounds.”
During trial, Mochemi pleaded not guilty to the charge, saying he was defending himself as Kgomo, with a knife in his hand, had threatened to teach him a lesson.
“He was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment and acquitted on the rape and kidnapping charges,” said Malabi Dzhangi.
“State prosecutor Vuiswa Jack asked the court to sentence Kgomo to direct imprisonment as he did not show any remorse.”
During sentencing on Tuesday, Mochemi apologised to the family of Kgomo and the community.
Last year, the high court in Polokwane sentenced 35-year-old Charles Moswathupha to three life terms in jail after convicting him on two counts of murder and a rape charge.
In the first incident in December 2018, the body of three-year-old Samson Sithole who had been reported missing was found in bushes with head injuries. Moswathupha was later identified as the suspect.
The second incident happened at Serageng village in Sekhukhune district when Moswathupha raped and throttled six-year-old Boitumelo Ramatsobane Matsekoleng who later died in hospital.
– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa