HENNENMAN – The Hennenman Regional Court has sentenced Pitso Samson Mokebe (34) to life imprisonment for murder and 15 years imprisonment for Housebreaking.
The sentencing emanates from an incident that occurred in the early hours of Monday, 30 November 2020. The court heard how on the day of the incident the accused entered the home of Johannes Thinane (67). The victim was asleep with his 10-year-old grandson at the time. The grandson witnessed how the accused strangled the victim while his 15-year-old cousin was forced to stuff a cloth into the victim’s mouth.
The 10-year-old then ran to this mother’s shack for assistance and explained what he had witnessed. When the accused was asked what he was doing on the premises he told the female that he was looking for his ex-girlfriend who is the daughter of the deceased. He then fled the scene with the money that he stole from the deceased.
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The family then looked for Thinane and found him lying motionless behind the couch in the living room. Police were alerted to the incident. Thinane was declared dead on the scene. A case of murder was registered.
Police received information about where the suspect was hiding, and he was subsequently arrested.
The case was meticulously investigated by Sgt. Moselantja Chaole of the Hennenman Detective Services. Her investigation alongside state prosecutor Marelize Nel of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) ensured that the accused was duly convicted for his crimes.
The second accused who was a minor at the time was found not guilty by the court. The court established that he was not a willing participant to the murder but rather coerced by the accused.
The court found Pitso Samson Mokebe (34) guilty on one count of murder and a count of housebreaking with intent to rob and robbery with aggravating circumstances. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and 15 years robbery. The sentencing was handed down on Thursday, 26 March in the Hennenman Regional Court.
