POLOKWANE – The Polokwane High Court has sentenced Mahlodi Melida Mathole (45), a teacher by profession, after she pleaded guilty to the murder of Dr Malekutu Johannes Mehlape, a Circuit Manager at the Limpopo Department of Education.

The murder occurred in December 2023, at the deceased’s home in Mankweng Zone 1, outside Polokwane.

Mathole pleaded guilty in terms of Section 105A of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977, as amended. She admitted that she acted in furtherance of a common purpose and that the murder was premeditated.

Motive: Revenge for sister’s death

In her plea statement, Mathole explained that following the death of her sister, who was the mother of Mologadi Mehlape, family members believed that the deceased had poisoned her.

Motivated by a desire to avenge her sister’s death, she consulted traditional healer Hlologelo Klaas Mogotlane and requested “muthi” to kill the deceased.

She later became aware that the deceased’s daughter and others were allegedly arranging for armed men to kill the deceased.

R600 transferred to hitmen

Mathole transferred R600 to Mogotlane to cover diesel costs for the vehicle transporting the hitmen to the deceased’s residence.

She subsequently contacted Mogotlane and warned him not to target the wrong person because there were two men at the homestead. She identified the deceased as the intended victim.

The hitmen proceeded to the deceased’s home and shot him multiple times. He sustained fatal gunshot wounds to the head and died at the scene. Mathole admitted that her actions directly contributed to the commission of the murder.

During sentencing, Judge Gert Muller remarked that, while he understood the plea and sentence agreement reached between the parties, it appeared as though taking a person’s life had become as easy as going to the shops and choosing who should be killed.

The court convicted Mathole and sentenced her to 25 years’ imprisonment, eight years of which were suspended, resulting in an effective sentence of 17 years’ direct imprisonment for murder.

Co-accused to stand trial separately

Two other accused, Tshepo Gabriel Ranoto (34) and Michael Sello Molongoane (42), appeared alongside Mathole. They face charges of:

• Conspiracy to commit murder
• Murder
• Robbery with aggravating circumstances
• Possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition

Their trial has been separated from that of Mathole and has been postponed to November 2 to 13, in the Polokwane High Court.