A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend, who was stabbed to death in front of her grandmother and young son in Edenville three years ago.
The Free State High Court sitting in Welkom convicted Thabo Isaac Ntanta (38) for the murder of Aphiwe Mtolo (36). Sentence was handed down on Thursday, 7 May.
The incident occurred on 4 May 2023 when Edenville police were called to a murder scene shortly after 06:00. On arrival, officers found Mtolo lying in the street with multiple stab wounds.
Eyewitnesses told police that Ntanta allegedly attacked the victim repeatedly with a knife while her grandmother and eight-year-old son watched. Paramedics declared Mtolo dead at the scene.
The murder investigation was led by Detective Sergeant Mgcibelo William Masunya, whose preliminary enquiries and evidence gathered at the scene led to Ntanta being identified as the main suspect.
Ntanta was arrested on the same day in Edenville but was later granted bail. He subsequently absconded and fled to Johannesburg, prompting a search by police.
Through the continued efforts of Detective Masunya, assisted by Crime Intelligence, the suspect was traced and re-arrested in Johannesburg in October last year.
Following his re-arrest, Ntanta remained in custody until the conclusion of the trial, where the court found him guilty of murder and imposed a life sentence.
