LIMPOPO – Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has commended the Lephalale Regional Court for imposing stringent sentences on two men convicted of murder and assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm (GBH).

The sentencing, which took place on Monday (February 10), follows the killing of a 21-year-old man in Marapong.

The court heard that on the evening of November 5, 2020, the two accused, Monene Lucky Matlhatse (31) and Majadibodu Ramadubu John (33), attacked the victim near a local tavern in Marapong. They stabbed him with a broken bottle, inflicting severe upper-body injuries. The victim managed to flee to his father’s house nearby but collapsed near the entrance and succumbed to his injuries.

As the victim’s father stepped outside to assess the situation, the two accused allegedly drove their vehicle towards him in an apparent attempt to run him over. He narrowly escaped harm, and the suspects fled the scene.

Following an investigation led by Sergeant Nndwamato Mambo of the Lephalale Detective Unit, both suspects were traced and arrested on the same night. They were later released on bail of R5 000 each on December 20, 2020.

The Lephalale Regional Court has now handed down the following sentences: Monene Lucky Matlhatse was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for murder and three years for assault GBH, with both sentences to run concurrently. Majadibodu Ramadubu John received a three-year sentence for assault GBH.

Hadebe welcomed the ruling, stating, “We appreciate the efforts displayed by the investigating officer and everyone who participated in the case until the court sentenced the perpetrators.”