Child rapist and killer sentenced
The sentence was imposed on Patrick Putana Lephoto, after he had pleaded guilty to the charges of rape and murder.
A 32-year-old man who raped his ex-girlfriend’s 11-year-old daughter in Praktiseer
before killing her in 2021, was sentenced to 35 years’ imprisonment on Friday.
The Limpopo High Court in Polokwane imposed this sentence on Patrick Putana Lephoto, after he had
pleaded guilty to the charges of rape and murder.
The trial court heard that on August 8, 2021, the accused called the victim while she was playing
next to her home and requested her to follow him to his homestead. Once inside the house, Lephoto touched her, and the victim immediately ran out. The accused chased her and caught her at the Tubatse River, where he raped her. Afterwards he strangled and stoned her. He then fled the scene.
The victim’s body was discovered by a passer-by the following day after some community members had
searched for her without success.
The police were notified, and upon arrival, they opened a case of murder and rape, which was assigned to Sergeant Makutuma David Ngoasheng attached to the Tubatse Detective Unit.
“Due to the investigator’s meticulous investigation and professionalism, the accused was arrested on the same day after he was positively linked to the incident.
He was kept in custody until he was ultimately convicted,” said the Limpopo police spokesperson,
Brigadier Motlafelo Mojapelo.
Lephoto was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for murder and 15 years’ for rape. The sentences
were ordered to run concurrently.
The Limpopo police commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has commended the
investigating officer for his diligent work that ensured another ruthless criminal was removed from society
for a long time
