The Free State High Court in Bloemfontein sentenced the convicted murderer Tumelo Mothupi (46) to 24 years’ imprisonment for murdering his 51-year-old former girlfriend, following a brutal late-night attack.

He was sentenced on Wednesday 28 April, after the court found him guilty on a charge of murder.

Mothupi was remanded in custody for the duration of the trial after he was denied bail.

Evidence presented to the court during the trial revealed he stabbed the victim with a knife and struck her with a brick, leaving her for dead on 19 October 2024.

He had arrived at the victim’s home at approximately 23:00.

A family member spotted Mothupi as he left the scene after murdering the victim, but he managed to evade immediate arrest.

However, he was later tracked down through an intelligence-driven operation conducted by detectives of the Bloemspruit police’s detectives branch.

Mothupi’s conviction and sentencing was the result of an investigation conducted by Det. Sgt Sechaba Tsholo of the Bloemspruit police.