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A traditional healer alleged that her father was responsible for her mother's death through the use of 'muthi'.
Mologadi Magdeline Mehlape with her father Dr Malekutu Johannes Mehlape. Picture: NPA
With Father’s Day just a few days away, a 28-year-old woman has been convicted after pleading guilty to the brutal murder of her father, a Circuit Manager at the Limpopo Department of Education.
Mologadi Magdeline Mehlape appeared in the Polokwane High Court on Wednesday, where she was found guilty of murdering her father, Dr Malekutu Johannes Mehlape
The incident occurred at Malekutu’s home in Mankweng Zone 1, outside Polokwane, on 28 December 2023.
Conviction
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said Mologadi was convicted on charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
“The court sentenced her to life imprisonment for murder and 15 years’ imprisonment for robbery, with the sentences to run concurrently.”
Malabi-Dzhangi said that four other accused, 34-year-olds Tshepo Gabriel Ranoto, Hlologelo Klaas Mogotlane, Mahlodi Melida Mathole, and 42-year-old Michael Sello Molongoane, appeared alongside Mologadi in court.
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“They face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. The trial for these accused has been separated and postponed to 20 June 2025 in the Polokwane High Court.”
Murder
Malabi-Dzhangi said during Mologadi’s appearance in the dock, the court heard the grim details of how she orchestrated her father’s murder following claims made by Mogotlane (Accused 3), a traditional healer, who alleged that her father was responsible for her mother’s death through the use of “muthi”.
“When attempts to retaliate using traditional means failed, Mehlape enlisted the help of various family members to hire a contract killer, agreeing to pay R200 000 for the murder.
“On the night of the incident, Mehlape unlocked the gate and main door, granting the perpetrators access to the house. The deceased was ambushed in his bedroom while asleep, shot multiple times, and robbed of several valuables, including his cellphone,” Malabi-Dzhangi said.
Sentence
Malabi-Dzhangi said a Ford Ranger double cab, believed to have been used during the crime, was seized during the arrests in Mankweng, and a firearm allegedly used in the killing was recovered during an arrest in Zebediela.
In mitigation, Mologadi apologised to her family, noting that she is the primary caregiver of her one-year-nine-month-old daughter and had unresolved disputes with her father.
However, state advocate Muneiwa Ratshibvumo argued that the guilty plea was motivated by overwhelming evidence rather than genuine remorse. She described the murder as “gruesome and heartless,” urging the court to impose the prescribed minimum sentence.
Violent crimes
Malabi-Dzhangi said the NPA welcomes the conviction and life sentence, viewing it as a clear affirmation of the justice system’s resolve to hold perpetrators of serious and violent crimes accountable.
“This outcome underscores the NPA’s unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law and securing justice for victims and their families,” Malabi-Dzhangi said.
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